Avatar: Peace and Darkness
by sealturtle
Summary: After peace is finally in the Avatar World, new danger arrives. The future world needs the help of the past to stop danger in the future, and Aang and Korra meet. Two Avatars seems unstoppable, but when a new danger arrives with the same amount of power as both Avatars (and with a new helper), could the Avatars stop the danger or would they create a new chapter where they lose?
1. Prologue

**_Catastrophe and pain._**

**_Hatred and fear._**

**_Agony and sorrow._**

**_Only he could bring this to the world._**

**_Save that none would unlock its mystery._**

"Dude! Look at this tablet!"

"Don't fumble yourself, kid. There's lots of things to look out for in this ruin!"

There was a slight hiss from the conveniently ignored kid. "But grandpa, there's words that I cannot read!"

The old man was busy inspecting a pillar. He sighed as he looked the child's woebegone eyes. Innocence was something that could easily get through him. He nodded his head and put on his spectacles.

"Catastrophe and pain..." the old man stopped. There was a slight vibration of the ruin as he read the words. Was it his imagination? He shook off that thought, ready to continue reading.

"Hatred and fear..." the vibration was much more bigger now. The kid had started to notice, but he was excited; innocence forged a sense of curiosity in the young child. The old man was not so willing to read and curious anymore.

"Child, I think it's time to head back home and get some rest. We've had enough -"

"But grandpa you haven't finished reading! Please carry on!" the child tugged at the old man's trousers.

"Alright, for you, my dear grandson." He bent down and read the words.

"Agony and sorrow..." the vibration shook the pillars again, and small rocks fell from the ceiling to the ground. The kid picked up a rock and threw it away. He was too excited to be aware of danger.

"Only he could bring this to the world..." One of the pillars started to crack and the other pillars were vibrating very heavily. There was something wrong going on and now the kid started to take notice.

"Child, are you sure you want to continue reading?"

"Yes, grandpa. Let's finish the last line and go home!" the kid nodded.

"Save that none could unlock its mystery..."

* * *

Far from the city of Ba Sing Se, there was a huge vibration that shook the trees and mountains on the land. The vibration went on to shake the walls of the city. People inside panicked. The guards started to panic.

"Oh no, please don't tell me the drill had a auto-drilling mechanism?" one of the guards mumbled.

"Maybe it's your stomach?"

"Ow!" The guard elbowed the guy who was busy chuckling at his joke. The vibration stopped soon after.

The 'earthquake' was over, but the disaster was not...


	2. Preparations

"Calm yourself sugar-queen. I'm sure Aang just fumbling around in the spirit world. Besides, he's the Avatar, doesn't such crazy things happen to him all the time?"

Katara nodded. "You may be right. But his glow is faint, and it's been a few hours…. So I –"

"Relax sister!" A voice emerged from one of the rooms. "Momo disappears sometimes and you don't even get so worked up."

"Sokka, this is an entirely different situation!" Katara shook her head. Sokka's witticism always irritated her a bit, but what could she do? It's Sokka. If Sokka said nothing sarcastic, witty, stupid or silly, it's not Sokka anymore.

The house was quiet without the airbender's goofy laugh and cheeky grin. Toph is still lying on the ground, throwing rocks on the walls while Sokka is busy sharpening his boomerang with a grindstone. Only Katara was sitting by Aang's side, patiently waiting for his boyfriend to come back to the human world again. This wasn't the first time.

There was a knock on the door.

Sokka jumped up and rushed to the door. "Suki!" He opened the door and was only greeted by Iroh.

"What, are you _that _disappointed to see an old man standing in front of you?" Iroh laughed and held out a teapot. Sokka took the teapot by the handle and placed it on the coffee table in the living room.

"That is chai tea. I discovered it when I was mixing ingredients to create a great tea. I remembered an ancient formula, and decided to brew this for all of you!" Iroh smiled widely.

"Thanks for the tea but right now, not everyone could drink it." Sokka shook his head sadly.

"Why not?"

Everyone turned their heads at the voice. It was Aang! A grin formed on his lips. "So you mean someone's not going to drink the tea? Who is it?"

Katara rushed forward and hugged the laughing airbender monk. He may be the Avatar, but he is still her boyfriend. Katara pushed the monk away and looked into his big and wide eyes. There was so much the monk had experienced: pain, agony, sorrow, joy… and love. Right now, Katara wished nothing more than to have Aang always be there for her, and for her to be always be there for Aang.

"Alright break it up you two, you're giving me oogies!" Sokka exclaimed. Toph laughed along with Iroh as the couple broke from their embrace. Iroh sat down on the wooden floor.

"What happened?" Iroh said. There was something dark in the Avatar's eyes that he could not make out, but something bad happened alright.

"I don't know, there was something bad. It's like… a bad dream! It's like having a really bad dream, and there was something that happened but I can't tell you what it is… There's a feeling of…"

"Doom?" Toph suggested. Everyone turned to look at Toph. "What, I mean my student Ho Tun kept saying that all the time, it got stuck in my head!" She shrugged tiredly.

"Aang needs to rest. Perhaps he would try my chai tea?" Iroh said.

"Thanks Iroh, you're the best tea maker in town right now." Aang nodded and drank a cup of the fragrant tea. Cinnamon and ginger filled the atmosphere. Katara breathed in deeply.

"So Iroh, is there anything we could help you?" Sokka said.

"Oh yes, there is! I was wondering if this favour was too big for you…" The old man started to scratch his head. There was a sheepish grin.

"Just spit it, Team Avatar can do anything!" Toph said.

"As long it does not involve delving into some ancient ruined city, finding some kind of thing, investigating mysteries and what not! Besides, my boomerang can always handle anyone!" Sokka took out his blue boomerang and started to wave it around in the air, amidst the disapproval of his sister.

"Why, you are the smart one aren't you! That's what I am asking you to do!" Iroh said.

The whole team went bonkers. Sokka's chin dropped and Katara was wide-eyed with shock. Avatar Aang was shaking his head. And Toph…

"Let's do it!" Toph stood up immediately and jumped for joy. "Finally something's happening here!"

"Aang needs to rest, Toph, we cannot risk his injuries and…"

"_And_ my stomach needs some filling. Like seriously do you guys have any meat instead of _green leaves?_"

Iroh shook his head. "This is a matter of grave importance, but I believe all of you need as much help as you can. I believe all of you had experienced the vibration just now. In my dreams, I dreamt that something bad happened, and the world experienced suffering and pain because of it. I want you all to go find out what it is."

"What happened?" Katara inquired.

"Tea vanished from the world. It w-was such a t-tragedy." Tears rolled down from Iroh's eyes as the rest of team went even more bonkers. Katara was busy arguing with Toph on how risky this is and how they can't risk Aang facing danger again. Sokka was busy arguing with himself on how important meat is to him.

"Let's do it." Aang said.

Everyone looked at the Avatar.

"This journey will be tough and arduous, but nevertheless it is important that all of you stick together and face the danger."

"We will. That's how we ended the war: _together_." Aang smiled at the confused-looking Katara, the slightly-saddened Sokka and the jumpy and excited Toph.

"We need Suki! Suki is the greatest help we can get!" Sokka said quickly.

"You mean, _you _need Suki, Sokka." Katara laughed at the pouting Sokka. Sokka desperately tried to protest but there was no words.

"I appreciate the argument, but can we get a grip of what we _are _actually doing?" Toph said, a demanding tone in her voice. "Iroh, you said that we need all the help we can get, so what help do we actually need?"

"You need me! And Zuko!" he turned to look at Sokka, who about to explode. "And of course your friend Suki."

"Oh yeah! Team Avatar is back!" Sokka jumped in the air at the end of the last sentence.

Toph took a cup of tea from Iroh's hands, and sat down with the group.

"I have a plan. Listen closely."


	3. Safe Travels

**Note: Please take notice that I will be adding an author's note at the end of each chapters.  
I would like to thank everyone for taking the effort to read through. Reviews and constructive comments are welcome**

* * *

Sokka nodded his head. "As the idea guy in the team, I'd like to say that your idea may work. Nice one, Toph."

Toph shook her head. "No, bonebrain. This _is _going to work!"

There was another knock on the door. Sokka stood up and rushed for the door, eagerly waiting for Suki's arrival. "Suki! Are you there?"

"No, but fire-lord is." The wooden door flung open as Zuko stepped into the house. Sokka became even more disappointed. He trudged back to the living room and slumped down on a wall.

"Are you _that _sad to see me?" Zuko questioned. After greeting everyone there, he sat down beside his uncle. The plan was simple enough to follow, and after dawn, everyone was ready to set off. Except for Sokka, that is.

"Really, Suki's not here and none of you even cares?" he protested to the leaving team.

"Sokka, I'm sure Suki's on the way. You can stay here if you want, we will be setting off a few hours later after we get our supplies." Katara said reassuringly. Sokka sulked, and his face became blackened with annoyance. _Suki had to come, _he thought to himself. Then the door flung open.

"Sokka!"

"Suki? It's Suki! Thank the spirits you came!" Sokka jumped off the floor and gave the panting Kiyoshi warrior a hug. They embraced for a few moments before Zuko urged the team to get a move on. Everyone took their bags, and left the house. Even though it was very early, everyone rested early and is now filled with energy and vigor. Aang jumped off the ground and landed on Appa's head and took his position. The rest of the team sat down on the saddle.

"Appa, yip yip!" The bison gave loud roar, startling all the residents in the quiet city, and flew up to the orange-gold sky. The bison navigated the sky, and flew across the city and leaving the territorial boundaries of the Fire Nation.

Aang gazed down at the Fire Nation city. A few months before this, he was trying to defeat the current-prisoner ex-firelord Ozai. He was trying to defeat Zuko's father, and bring him to justice. A few months before this, he was worrying about way to defeat him. The monks used to tell him philosophies, ways of life and life's essence. They taught him that violence is never the situation. They taught him to revere peace.

But it seems peace is always facing problems. He sighed.

The bison flew over the Gates of Azulon. The guards and soldiers immediately bowed down at the sight of the great flying bison, and Sokka watched the soldiers stay in their kowtow position as they flew.

"You know, I kind of like being admired and respected. It's about time the people did that." he said.

"Sokka..." Katara said, annoyed at his brother's nonsensical words. Sokka shrugged it off as Toph laughed and agreed with Sokka.

"Okay everyone, we will be heading for Ba Sing Se. Since this is going to be a long ride, I suggest everyone get ready for sore bums and tired minds!" Aang said sarcastically, and made the bison move faster.

The bison flew across the golden-tinted ocean in full speed, and the team were ready for another adventure.


	4. Happenings

Aang woke up in a fit. Sweat was dripping from his forehead and temples. He looked at the Gaang, all sleeping soundly as the bison moved through the air towards the land in sight. _If only they knew, _he sighed.

The nightmares have been getting worse for Aang. Each time, he was stuck in the exact same place: a kind of temple ruin. Then there was always a futile chase for a girl in blue water tribe clothing, and each time Aang thought he caught with her she shot rocks, blasted fire or funneled water towards Aang. Aang was always sent flying towards the pillars, and there were words on the walls that he could not make sense.

This time it was worse. Something bad happened, and Aang started to worry about what was going to happen.

_Oh no, I'm stuck in the same place again. Might as well just stay here and not do anything about this, maybe I will wake up?_

_Wait, it's that girl again. _

_Hold up! Don't run!_

_No, if I go and chase the girl I will be flying around the place again. I will meditate and try to wake up._

_I know! Maybe I can find Avatar Roku and ask him for help! Okay, meditation time._

Roku emerged from Aang in his spectral form.

_**Avatar Aang, I presume you have questions on your nightmares and dreams.**_

_Yes, Avatar Roku. I'm always having the same nightmare when I sleep, just like the nightmares I had before the Day of Black Sun. Is this self-inflicted? Could I be overly-stressed? Could I be -_

**_Avatar Aang, I may be your past life, but what I know is limited: I do not know about the future. Even though I have many answers to most questions you pose, the future is now well blurred and unclear to me._**

_But, Avatar Roku, I need your wisdom on this. _

**_I can give you this one wisdom that I have: be decisive._**

_But there's nothing to be decisive about! I need to know how to get out of this bad dream, and why is it happening to me? Is it the spirit world? Are the spirits angry again?_

**_When time comes, you will know that my wisdom will prove itself useful. Goodbye, Avatar Aang. You need to learn how to go through this, by yourself._**

Avatar Roku faded away to nothingness.

Aang rubbed his eyes. Perhaps it was a really bad dream. Perhaps it was the spirit world. He sighed. Despite being the Avatar, and having gone through so much, there were always new problems for the young and youthful child. But things like this have worn him down.

Land was sighted as Appa grew more tired and lethargic. Slowly, he began to descend and touch the sea surface. This woke the Gaang up.

"Aang! What's happening?" Katara exclaimed.

"Appa's tired. We need to get to land fast. Hold on tight guys!" Aang shouted 'yip-yip' and the bison tried his best to fly over the sea surface. Everyone was frantically holding on to their belongings. Zuko was holding on to their supplies and Iroh was trying to protect his tea cups and pot. Toph was holding to Zuko's arm tightly and Suki was clutching Sokka's arm. Katara held the saddle firmly.

"Come on, Appa just a bit more. I know it's tiring for you but just a bit more..." Aang mumbled softly

Boom!

Crash landing.

Bags flew off the bison and on the ground, and one of the tea cups shattered. Aang touched and ruffled the fur of Appa and thanked the bison for flying so far. Appa promptly fell asleep.

Everyone was recovering from their 'crash-landing-syndrome'. They were busy rubbing their heads, inspecting their bodies for injuries, grabbing their supplies, trying to stand up and finding their lost items.

"My tea cup. It broke!" Iroh sniffed and said sadly.

"It's just a stupid tea cup, uncle. I'll buy another one for you later in Omashu." Zuko huffed.

"You don't understand, Zuko. Tea cups are the essence of tea. A good tea cup means -"

"Guys, where's Momo?" Sokka said.

"DID WE FORGET HIM?" Aang exclaimed in shock. The Gaang faced their second biggest shock. They just left out one of their pets and came here on their own.

"Don't worry, Mai will take care of Momo." Zuko assured the rather worried Gaang. Then they heard a soft growl emerging from Sokka's bag.

"Oh no." Sokka threw his bag on the ground in shock.

"What is it?" Suki asked.

"The curse! It must be! I knew it would happen to me!" Sokka exclaimed wildly to everyone. "It's the **man-eating bag-monster!"**

"Stop being ridiculous, Sokka. Just open the bag. It's probably some kind of bug or animal."

Two long furry ears emerged from the bag.

"I knew it! It's going to eat me!" Sokka screamed and ran behind Appa's tail, only to be flung away to a nearby bush by it.

Katara unrolled the bag only to discover Momo looking at Katara confusedly.

"Sokka, it's just Momo! Look!"

Sokka got up from the bush and blushed. He quickly regained his demeanor and confident pose, and unpacked his bag. "We should camp here for the night. Appa's too tired to do anything."

Everyone nodded in unison and started unpacking.

* * *

"Run! Run! Get out of here, kid!"

"What about you, grandpa?" The child started to wail. Tears flowed from his eyes as he fearfully watched the pillars started to collapse and fall.

"I will earthbend the rocks and pillars upwards so you can run! But I cannot hold on longer, so you run out and tell you parents to get help!" The old man took a strong stance, and pushed the earth upwards to support the falling pillars. He then tried create even more pillars to hold the collapsing ceiling.

The child started to run for the exit. The light was dim, but the exit was visible from far. The old man turned to see the child run. He pushed more pillars of rock upwards to the ceiling, and also broke the pillars blocking the exit. The kid took one last look at the old man and ran out of the ruin.

The old man started to head for the exit. He could hear the earthbent pillars starting to crumble. The ceiling was too heavy. His lack of energy caused the pillars he bent to collapse and the ceiling came tumbling down.

He bent an earth covering over him, and it blocked him from being crushed by the falling ceiling. But it wasn't enough. Above the ceiling was more rocks, and it came tumbling down and it broke the earth covering.

The vibration stopped.

A green light appeared from the mysteriously unbroken tablet of words. The words started to glow.

The glow grew more intense.

The table started to crack, and it exploded as bits and pieces of it was flung around the ruins. The green light began to settle, and started to twist into the form of a whirlpool. Then it stopped moving and started to turn 360 degrees slowly.

There was brief gust of wind blowing from the green light as snow and cold entered the temple ruin. There was leg that emerged from the green whirlpool.

The leg found ground, and another leg emerged. A body appeared and the face of the person was seen.

"It seems I have found my way into the past." A soft, malevolent chuckle was heard.

"Then it seems I can remove the Avatar from the past to prevent its appearance in the present."

"Welcome to the era of the Dark Avatar."

* * *

**OK, the last chapter was a bit boring but such chapters exist to solve some mysteries present in previous chapters (and foreshadowing some stuff. HINT HINT HINT HINT HINT HINT HINT)**

**Thank you for viewing and this is my first author's note. I won't be writing this too much because I find it annoying (story note, duh). i will be updating the next chapter tomorrow. **

**Reviews and constructive comments are always welcome! I seek improvement!**

**Once again, thank you!**


	5. Future Problems

"Hello? Anyone here?"

The girl clad in blue water-tribe clothing shouted far and wide, but no one was around to hear her. She knitted her eyebrows and tried to focus on her surroundings. There were tall trees and small shrubs. The colors were vibrant and radiant, but beside the colorful patch of land was another forest that was dark and gloomy.

She took a step forward to the dark forest, as if it was calling to her. Another step forward would bring her inside the forest and she knew that there was no way out.

"Anyone around? Friendly things? I'm friendly!" she called out to no one in particular. Sweat dripped from her temples with each step she took into the forest. She turned around to look at the colorful land once more, and headed in.

She stepped forward warily, knowing all too well the dangers she could face: attacked by spirits, captured by spirits, killed by spirits or being trapped in the forest. Forever.

She was a little afraid now. Her fists clutched tightly and her teeth biting her tongue softly to prevent herself from screaming at the sight of weird-looking spirits. Snakes and bats all cover the trees, and their eyes contain a bad hunger. She maintained eye contact towards the place that was calling to her. She could feel it well. There was a magnetic sense in her: she is after all, the Avatar.

This was the first time she ever found herself stuck in the spirit world. She remembered how it happened, and it all started like this:

_"Korra, are you alright?" _

_"I'm fine, Mako. It's just that, there's this terrible headache." she rubbed her forehead a few times before looking into Mako's eyes._

_"You know, since Amon's disappearance, I've been thinking of having a vacation!" _

_"That's great, Korra. Perhaps we could ask other people to tag along too!" Mako grinned at Korra._

_"Yeah... other people..." she turned away to look at the waters surrounding Air Temple Island. She stood up and gestured that she was going to the kitchen to grab some food. The headache grew more intense as she moved her muscles._

_"Perhaps I can get some food for you, Korra. You seem a little too weak now. Get some rest." Mako put a hand on her shoulder and nodded._

_"I'm fine, Mako." She said irritatingly. Pushing off his hand, she got up and walked towards the kitchen._

_"Pema!" _

_No one answered. Figuring that she was busy taking care of their newborn baby, Rohan, she stepped into the kitchen and opened one of the cabinets._

_Suddenly, she stopped. There was a sharp ringing at the side of her ear. She turned around and got out of the kitchen, and gazed at the dark blue ocean. The moon hung high on the sky, and tonight it was a full moon. There was an incessant chanting that was so faint but so audible which bothered her very badly. She tried to look for the source._

_The next moment she was walking into the ocean._

_The next moment she was swimming in the ocean._

_And she vanished._

"Where in the world am I?" she scratched her hair.

"Wait! There's a building up ahead!" she said to herself. With refreshed vigor she quickly made her way towards the 'building', which was basically a temple ruin. As she walked on the staircase, she turned to admire the intrinsic carvings on the pillars, and the architecture of the temple. Fascination was clear in her eyes.

She entered the temple with caution, and called to see if anyone was here. Then she heard a voice.

There was a boy! He stood on one of the platforms, his back turned towards her. She reached out her hand and called the boy. As she made her way there the boy jumped off the platform and ran northwest. The chase started.

"Wait up! I'm the Avatar! I'm - "

She was cut off by a heavy gust of wind blown towards her. The wind hurled her towards the wall, and rocks and debris fell on her. She quickly stood up, and saw the same boy standing far away, this time beside a pillar.

"Wait! I think I know you!"

As she ran towards the boy, the pillar was removed from its foundation, and it flew towards her. She jumped aside and avoided the giant cylindrical structure only to face rocks and boulders hurled towards her. She dodged them quickly, and one of the boulders missed her face by a hair's breadth. She gasped for air as the boy tried to lose her and he quickly vanished.

"Who are you? Are you a spirit?"

The wall behind her made a sharp noise. She turned to the back and saw an ice spike lodged deeply in the rock wall. More ice spikes emerged from the darkness in front of her, and she lied down to avoid them. The rock wall behind promptly fell apart as the spikes broke it.

"Stop it! I am the Avatar! Please hear me out -"

The temperature started to rise and she felt her skin burning faintly. The floor was on fire! She quickly avoided the burning tiles and jumped up a platform. A blast of fire emerged from the darkness, but this time it missed her and hit one of the pillars. She heaved a sigh of relief, but the 'miss' was intended.

The pillar could not withstand the impact of the fire blast, and promptly collapsed. Other pillars started to collapse as the largest pillar in the temple fell down. The ceiling started to fall.

"Oh no."

She quickly jumped off the platform and header for the exit.

"Damn! It's blocked by rocks!" She tried to push one of the pillars upwards to give her enough space to run out but it was too heavy. She looked up at the ceiling. There was light coming from a big gap up. She stepped up one of the rocks, and jumped up the big gap.

Then she woke up.


	6. Omashu and its Plague

"Good morning everyone!" Bolin said. He glanced at the gloomy face of Mako.

"What is it? Did something happen?" Mako shook his head.

"Korra's missing."

* * *

Korra woke up and found herself in the middle of what seems to be a jungle. Palm trees stood tall far from her and around her was redwood trees and spruce trees. Trees and trees and more trees cover the area, but there was a small space for her to lie on. She tried to get up, only to be hit by a wave of nausea.

Korra stood up slowly, and looked around. There was a cool breeze blowing against her hair, and she felt tranquil and at peace. _Am I in the spirit world? _She thought.

She took a stance, and breathed deeply. Then she punched the air and released an air punch, which rustled the tree that it hit. _Wait, I can bend? I'm not in the spirit world? _She decided to walk out from the jungle and find its end.

With careful steps, she pushed branches and trees. She could feel something calling to her. She could feel something spiritual in this jungle.

Then she stepped on something solid and concrete.

_Is this earth? _She touched the tile at the bottom. It was hexagonal in shape, and it had intrinsic patterns carved and painted on it. She sat down, and wondered on how she could solve this problem. She remembered that Aang, who met a giant lion-turtle, meditating on solutions to **not **kill Ozai at this same spot. _Wait a minute..._

_I'm on a giant lion-turtle right now? I have to find its head!_

She ran out of the jungle quickly, and found the mountains up north getting larger. Rather, it was getting closer to her. She dived into the waters and created a water bubble which contained her body. As she swam towards the side, a gigantic paw moved and pushed the water backwards. She swam towards the front.

Suddenly the paw's position changed, and it went up higher. _The lion-turtle's emerging from the water! _She quickly swam up the surface and towards the head of the lion-turtle.

_This is amazing._

As she looked at the lion-turtle's head, its paw moved Korra upwards to the eye-level of the ancient beast.

"It's been so long since I held an Avatar on my hand." The lion-turtle said.

"Great lion-turtle, why am I here? I certainly don't remember myself coming here!" Korra said.

"Danger lurks in the past, and the present must seek to purge the past of it." The lion-turtle blinked at the confused Avatar.

"What does that mean?"

"There are many dangers, but each of different severity. A danger of the present has appeared in the past, but the past cannot purge it without the present's help." The lion turtle moved another of its paw and touched Korra's forehead and below her neck. "I grant you a power, that no Avatar has. Your power is limited, and has two uses before its expiration."

A green glow appeared on the nails of the paw, and Korra felt a strange energy flowing through her veins. She felt empowered, but yet weakened at the same time.

"You will seek the Avatar from the past. For the past Avatar's survival, ensures the present's Avatar existence." The lion-turtle moved its paw up, and put Korra on a high cliff. The lion-turtle submerged, and swam away from Korra.

"It seems Avatar Aang needs my help." Korra sighed. She turned around, and made her way for Republic City.

* * *

"Here we are! Omashu!"

The Gaang yawned and stretched their limbs. They had been walking for a few days since Appa 'over-flew' and grew exhausted.

"Finally! Now let's go in and find a good place for us to sleep in." Toph said.

"And some food for us to eat!" Sokka gleefully added. The Gaang made their way towards the giant earth wall, and stated their claim. The earthbending guards opened the wall, and the Gaang headed into Omashu. Since the war, many fire-nation factories and flags have been removed from Omashu, but the soot and ashes were still visible on the roofs of the building. As the Gaang look up to the top of Omashu, there were Earthbenders busy demolishing one of the metal factories that the fire-nation left when they took Omashu for City of New Ozai.

"Reminds me of the Hundred Year War." Katara said, with a hint of regret and sadness. Aang put his hand on her shoulder, and they set on finding a place to stay for the day. The Gaang walked in the market.

"Hey look! It's the Avatar!" one of the storekeepers exclaimed. Other people turned around to look at the strolling Avatar. Sokka grinned and waved at the onlooking crowd. Then one of the storekeepers started to jeer.

"Boo! The Avatar does nothing!" "Get off!" "Go home!" "Omashu does not welcome you!"

Aang leapt up on a roof of a shop, and lodged his staff onto the roof. "Please! I am the Avatar, I can help and I will help whenever I can!"

The Gaang in Omashu tried to keep the crowd from throwing cabbages, carrots and other things at the confused-looking Airbender. Then an elderly woman stepped out and urged the Avatar and his Gaang to leave this place and seek refuge at her house. The Gaang decided that the crowd could not be appeased immediately, and quickly rushed off after Aang went around telling everyone that he will solve whatever problem that was occurring. The elderly woman turned to the left, and pointed at one of the buildings.

"That's my inn. Nobody's been there for a long time... Come, you must have grown weary of your journey. Perhaps I can guide you to your destiny." She smiled kindly at Zuko, who merely sighed at the word 'destiny'. Destiny was something that caused Zuko to lose his path and make many mistakes. Zuko smiled at his uncle, who put his hand on his shoulder and nodded his head.

"This is a nice place!" Katara exclaimed. There were carvings and designs on the pillars of the inn, and the staircases were made of solid marble. The roof of the inn was a classic light jade-green Eastern Temple roof, with a lion-turtle sculpture decorating the top of the roof. Aang pointed at the lion-turtle excitedly and jumped up the rooftop.

"How did you get an exact copy of how a lion-turtle looked like?" Aang said.

"I... was given this. I figured it was ancient and very important, so I hung it up there. It was the same though, still few business but barely enough to get by." The elderly woman smiled and gestured for everyone to enter the inn. Sokka eagerly rushed in and Katara walked in quickly to look at the water-tribe ornaments and banners. While she was conversing with the elderly woman, Aang was busy inspecting the lion-turtle.

_This is strange, this lion-turtle lacks its right paw..._ Aang thought. He leapt down the roof and went inside. They were waiting for him at the dining table, and in front of them was a feast of water-tribe, earth-kingdom and fire-nation delicacies. "It's meat! Sea prunes! Beef jerky! Stew!" Sokka yelled in a moment of ecstasy and wolfed down the food.

"You might be wondering why the Omashu citizens were angry at you."

"Is it my involvement at Yu Dao? Because I kind of suppressed the Earth King's intention to take the colony from the Fire Nation." Aang looked at Zuko and nodded in unison.

"No it is not. It is much more serious." The elderly woman's face became downcast, her eyes looking at her empty bowl.

"There seems to be curse that plagued the Earth Kingdom. There was a path used mainly by traders, and something happened there..."

* * *

_I was there, along with my husband Han and my son Yu. My father Tekka also was there. As my grandfather and son were keen archaeologists, they said they located a temple ruin near here and quickly set off for the location ahead of us. Together, we travelled along this road with a group of pot traders from Ba Sing Se. We exchanged conversation, and talked about our journeys._

"You new around here?" _The traders asked us, and we nodded our heads. _

"This road here, is cursed. It's reckoned to be cursed by some spirit." _A young man whispered, and another bigger brute urged him to keep quiet, and refrain from scaring us. The brute said that traders normally do not use this path, much like people do not use the Serpent's Pass to reach Ba Sing Se. This path was recently renewed by the Ba Sing Se and Omashu trade organisations. It was called, Ruined Road._

_It was a pretty scary name, but it was the shortest path towards Omashu. We would have to walk a long way around it and it would take us 5 more days._

"There's a sandstorm brewing from the Desert. We might have to set up camp for a while." _One of the men said. I agreed and my family decided to camp with the traders. The traders agreed to protect us, and lend us their extra tents and tarps. I exchanged some of my food and supplies with the traders in thanks for their help, and they gave me a rather exquisite... ornament. _

_We set up camp, and sure enough, the Desert sandstorm was so heavy it reached us. Even though we are out of the desert. _"Stay in your tents and do not move!" _The young man shouted and warned my family. I held my husband tightly in the tent, and prayed that my father and Yu were fine. I prayed so hard._

"Help!"

_There was a sudden shake of the ground. It was really nerve-wrecking. There was another quake, this time even worse._

_My husband frantically tried to grab our supplies back, but the sandstorm hit us too bad. The sandstorm subsided for awhile, and I ran out and grabbed whatever that I could grab and put in the tent before running back in. The sandstorm picked up quickly and the sudden earthquakes made it worse._

_Then after the fourth quake. The fifth one hit us really badly. There was sharp pain in my heart. I knew something really bad happened to my dear father. _

"Dear, don't cry! What happened? We are going to pull through this, wife!" _My husband hugged my even tighter._

"No, my father... Something bad, really bad... Something happened to him!" _I said to my husband in tears. I cried really badly. _

_The earthquake stopped. They toppled all of our tents, and there was a visible crack running all the way from our campsite to about at least a few miles from here. I saw my son Yu running so quickly to us... I knew._

"Where's your grandfather?" _I said._

_He merely shook his head._

_After the incident, nobody used the path anymore. It has been a few weeks, and both Omashu and Ba Sing Se faced a shortage of supplies in periods of time as the traders took the longer route, and the people quickly responded by jacking the prices very high._

_Omashu traders were unhappy at Ba Sing Se traders, and fights broke out. The Earth King in Ba Sing Se did nothing, but merely asked the traders to come to a compromise. I couldn't. It was too expensive. A dozen cabbages before the closure of the path is now worth only 2 cabbages. It's robbery I tell you!_

_Ba Sing Se traders were also unhappy. There was shoddy worksmanship in the pottery, paintings, furniture and hand-made equipment. My husband and son went out searching for my grandfather, but they returned disappointed... Twice._

_People grew restless and unhappy. The sudden change in the economy quickly brought the people to rioting and blaming people. _

"The trade organisations! How can they do this to us! I can't survive like this!"

"No! Those traders are to be blamed! If they didn't sell me their merchandise THIS expensive I would still be living in my house right now!"

"The Earth King at Ba Sing Se is still a figurehead! He is absolutely useless!"

"No! The Avatar did nothing! He did nothing at our time of need!"

"Yeah! You're right!" _And people followed suit. People of both Earth Kingdom Cities started to blame the Avatar, and that is where you come in._

* * *

"So... What was the ornament you exchanged for?" Sokka asked.

"The lion-turtle sculpture up there." The women sipped her sea-prune and the Gaang dined in with unease and worry on their faces.

Aang sighed. After a few bites of the vegetables, he walked out of the dining room. "I'll go check out how's Aang doing." Katara stood up.

"No, I will. Katara, you sit down." Toph said. Katara sighed, and sat down. Toph stood up and walked out of the dining room, and found Aang sitting atop a window ledge.

Aang gazed out at the Omashu city. Even though he was the Avatar, his job scope was really wide. Saving the world from the Fire Nation was not enough, and now he has to save it again once more. He felt tired, and weary. He's just a child. A young airbending monk, with only his friends, a glider and his pets. He does not possess the wisdom the older Avatars had. He does not possess the intelligence the older Avatars had. He felt lost. He felt useless.

"Twinkletoes, you're really a troublesome one aren't you." Toph walked out and climbed the window ledge and sat down.

"Toph, I can't take it anymore. I failed the people, again." Aang turned away and closed his eyes.

"All my life, I have been trying to save the people. But when I was enjoying the high life of a Fire-Lord's honored guest, I neglected the people. The people had problems but I did not solve them. I am a failure. Like before."

Toph punched Aang's right arm. "Don't be stupid, Twinkletoes. Aren't we all on our way to do this? You didn't know about this at all, bonehead. The people can't blame you on a problem that was not your fault anyways."

"No, Avatar Yang Chen once said to me before the fight with Ozai. She said that the airbending monks taught us that at our enlightenment, we could detach ourselves from the world. But she said as the Avatar, I could not. Just like her, my duty was to the world, not to myself, the monks or the teachings. I must save the world constantly." Aang said, and added, "You don't understand how tough it is."

Toph put her hand on Aang's hand. "Aang. I...You have to know that you have done so many things that amazed me, and everyone of course. The people can't expect you to fly around the entire world asking whether they have problems or not. It is stupid."

Aang looked at the blind girl. Her hair was rustled by the wind, and even though she was blind, her eyes was seemingly looking into Aang's. "That's what Katara would say. I didn't know you actually have wise stuff to say, Toph." He laughed.

Toph punched Aang's right arm again. "Don't be stupid, Twinkletoes. I'm always wise. Besides, I'm the greatest Earthbender... and Metalbender of all time. Let's go in and finish your dinner, you made me waste my time, airhead." Toph took Aang by the hand and pulled him down the ledge before heading into the dining room.

_Thank you, Toph._


	7. Third Chapters

Korra laid down on her bed, exhausted from the day's events. She refused the company of Mako and her friends, wanting some 'alone-time' to sort out her thoughts. She never said where she was, and never mentioned her meeting with the lion-turtle. All she gave them was an irritated 'sorry' to Tenzin and everyone else when they questioned her disappearance.

_Knock-knock._

"I said, I don't want anyone in here!" Korra shouted to the person behind the door. There was silence for a few moments, before the door was pushed open. A man wearing airbender robes stepped in with grace.

"Tenzin! I don't want to talk to you now!" Korra turned her back against the man and faced the wall instead. Then the man put his hand on Korra's shoulders.

"My son is well asleep right now, Korra." Korra turned around and saw that the man was in fact, Avatar Aang. Aang pulled up a chair, and sat by the bedpost. He looked at Korra intently.

"But I didn't call you here... Why did you come?" Korra asked, and sat up. She rubbed her eyes as she spoke.

"Remember when Amon took away your bending? You were at your lowest point. But I came for you. Now, you are frustrated, confused and shocked. I sense some sadness in your eyes. As your past life, I had to come to see you, and give you guidance." Korra did not speak, but looked at the bearded, bald monk. _What a splitting image of Tenzin, _she thought.

"You were not gifted with the teachings of the airbender monks, so you could not reach out to the wisdom of the past Avatars that easily as I did. But that is not the point." Aang stood up and turned to Korra. "Care for a bedtime story?"

* * *

_This the story of the third avatar, Shi._

_Being a waterbender, he was born in a city of a water lion-turtle. His parents knew all to well that he was the Avatar as Raava personally made her visits to the parents' dreams to inform them of their child's destiny. It was not obvious though, Shi was born quiet. He never cried nor screamed. He never really had fun. He never played with the children of the city. _

_When he was born, a bright light emerged from the eyes of Shi, and illuminated the entire room so brightly. The parents rejoiced, but deep down they knew he had to visit other lion-turtles to learn the other elements. By then, they knew of the existence of other lion-turtles, but pre-existing fear of the spirits outside made them wary of leaving the city. But Shi had to act his destiny._

"Mom, dad, I have to leave for the lion-turtle bearing the element of Earth. Goodbye." _Shi hugged his parents tightly, and left the city. He had mastered water-bending perfectly by himself under the guidance of the spirits, and with that he left for the long journey to the canyons._

_But it was difficult to locate the canyon, rather than locate a lion-turtle. The world back then was much bigger with more land than waters, and the forested areas and mountainous areas had so many spirits dwelling in there with different intentions. Many a time, he was lost in the mountains, and always found himself further from the lion-turtle and the canyon._

_Then he met someone._

_He was running quickly, and he leapt from tree to tree. One burst and he was on another branch, and he quickly navigated the treetops. Petals of the flowers dropped to the ground, and many spirits hid behind places to observe this quirky being. It was so long since a human ventured so deep into the outside. _

_He leapt off a branch after seeing that the bottom was all soft, flowing grass. He jumped off the branch and prepared for landing. Then he hit something._

"Ouch! Watch where you're jumping, kid!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" _Shi__ stood up and shook off the grass. He helped the person up, and was surprised that it was small child that yelled at him._

"Oh, so you think I'm a kid and you're not scared of me now, huh? Tell you what, I can beat you to the canyon by a day!" _The child smirked._

"Don't do something that you can't, kid. It's okay if you're weak!" _Shi smiled and started to run. _

"Just head north and you'll reach the canyon! I'll wait for you there later on!" _The child started to climb one of the trees. Shi thought he could win. Shi ran so fast and reached a river. With a his left and right hand moving, he bent the water to create a small wave for him to ride on. He crossed the river quickly, and started to run again. _

_Grassy plains were in front of him, and he just kept running. It was near nighttime. _

_He emerged from the grassy plains, and panted. The non-stop running was all too much for him, and he bent some water from the grass. He drank the water, and with some vigor he sped off and saw some tall rock formations. He knew he reached the canyon._

"That was fast, I've only beat you by an hour instead!" _The kid said to him, sitting cross-legged on the ground. The kid laughed and stood up. He walked to the visibly tired Shi, and put his hand on Shi's shoulder. __  
_

"I'm Jian. I'm from the Forevercity."

"Where's that?" _Shi asked._

"It's from another lion-turtle in the canyon. How about resting for the night in my city?" _Jian took Shi by the hand and walked with him into the canyon._

"Oh wow. Look at that tall city! It's all made of transparent things!" _Shi exclaimed. _

"Impressive huh? We built our city together with the sandbenders and earthbenders." _Jian walked to the gates, and told the guards to allow them in. The guards were skeptical of Shi, but they allowed them in later on._

"Wow, this city is amazing." _Tall skyscrapers like the one here in Republic City dot the area, and every building was made of glass. The glass was translucent and the moonshine reflected on the glass. _"Why not call this, the City of Glass?"

"Oh no, that won't be right. Everyone here are not sandbenders nor earthbenders!" _Jian walked with Shi around the city, and was greeted by many other citizens. Then there was a baby in a pram, pushed by a mother._

"Governor Jian! How nice to meet you! You went out strolling again I presume." _The mother spoke. _

"It's so late at night, Jian. You should head back to your flat." _  
_

"The baby can talk?!" _Shi stared at the smiling baby, mouth agape in shock. Jian nodded his head, bid them goodbye and asked Jian to rest for the night before introducing the city properly to him. Shi agreed and the next morning, Jian gave him a tour of the tallest skyscraper in the place._

"A bird's eye view of the city is always perfect." _Shi then looked at the land. _"But it's empty!"

"That's why no one can locate us if they fly up. It helps to protect the lion-turtle." _Jian asked Shi to sit down, and sit across the table. He then laid out a tattered map._

"This is the Time Lion-turtle. Everyone here is immortal. As we are blessed with the power of bending time, we can warp ourselves back to the times when we are young. In fact, I am more than five hundred years old now. Don't want to die too early, don't we?" _Jian laughed. _

"So, can I get this power from the lion-turtle? I'm the Avatar."

"Oh I know you're the Avatar alright. No water-bending people would venture out of their waters for once. Yes of course you can! But there's a consequence."

_Shi thought nothing more. He wanted this power to add to his own._

"I don't really care. Let's just go to the lion-turtle."

"Just remember, when you're in the Avatar state, don't ever use this power. It might be drastic." _Jian warned him, and they went out of the city to gain the lion-turtle's blessing._

* * *

"Woah, so there was such a thing called 'bending time'?" Korra said, amazed at the story Aang was telling.

"You are given the same power that Shi had. In time, you will use it well."

"But, what happened to him? Did he master the Avatar State? Did he use it in action?"

"He did, and delayed the Avatar State by fifteen centuries." Aang looked down on the wooden panels. He sighed. He put a hand on Korra's hand, and faded off like dust into the air.

Korra could not sleep that night, thinking of the power now in her hands. She was amazed, yet afraid of the same time. She was the second avatar to be holding this power, and there was no masters around to help her.

She wield a power no one seen before, all by herself.


	8. The Ruined Temple

"So where are we going?" Sokka asked.

"I'm finding the place, Sokka. Would you just SHUT IT!" Toph yelled at Sokka, who ran behind Suki. Suki did not look very pleased.

"Toph, I appreciate that you're trying to concentrate but can you be more polite to my boyfriend?"

"Shut it, sugar-queen. I don't need to have two sugar-queens in the team you know." Toph said loudly. She stamped her foot on the ground, and felt the vibrations from below. She shook her head in confusion, before sitting down on the ground.

"The vibrations come from very far, but my detection technique cannot detect things from the sand as well as on the ground." Toph pointed to her right. "There's some kind of building there. Let's move in that direction."

Saying that, Toph started to walk in that direction. The rest of team trodded along. They could not fly, or they would miss the building, and Toph could not have the chance to actually pinpoint its location. Appa walked on the ground tiredly, and trudged along. Then, it started to roar and shout, grimacing at the sight of sand.

"He knows he's been abducted here, and he's afraid to go in." Aang said solemnly, and told everyone to continue moving while leaving Zuko, Iroh and Suki behind to guard the sky bison and their supplies. The rest of the team briskly walked on.

Toph stamped her foot on the sand. This time she cocked her head, her eyebrows knitted tightly. She stamped her foot another time, and once more. Toph sighed, and turned around.

"The building's under the sand and it seems to be sinking a little by little. Let's keep walking."

"You do know we are not at the side you're facing right?" Sokka said.

"Oh, sorry." Toph smiled sheepishly, and started to walk on.

Aang then said, "What if I airbended the sand away, so I could see the building itself?"

"No, you bonehead. An external force would bring the whole thing submerged in sand, and no one can enter it later on." Katara put her hand on Aang's shoulder as he sighed. _What a bad idea_, _I just screwed up..._

Sokka then shouted. "There it is!"

"Where?"

"You airhead, it isn't there!"

"That's what it would sound like, if we actually found it!" Sokka said and laughed.

"You do know that's my joke, right Sokka?" Toph stamped her foot on the ground, bending the sand and flinging Sokka a good ten feet in front of the team.

After a long walk, the heat of the desert subsided, and night started to fall.

"It's finally cooling down." Katara said. She held her water pouch tightly, and let go. She remembered how she tried to gather the team together as they tried to make it out of the desert well and alive. She remembered how Appa was kidnapped by the sandbenders, and sold to Ba Sing Se, then captured by the Dai Li. Aang was also still pretty hurt from the incident, and the blow was the same as Appa's death. He thought he would never find Appa again.

"It's down here. Aang, the spot you're standing, that's where it is." Aang moved away from the spot he's standing, and Toph stamped her foot on the ground. She punched the air a few times, made her horse-stance stronger, and bended the sand away to reveal an entrance to the building.

"It's a temple, much like the temples of the Sun Warriors." Aang leapt down from the sand and stepped on the path. The walls held torch sconces that were unlit, which Aang lit up with some fire balls. Sokka pulled out his boomerang.

"There's something I don't like about this place."

"I think, it's the ominous feeling here that you don't like." Katara said as she studied the walls and pillars.

"No, it's the smell." Sokka walked up to what seemingly _was _the entrance of the temple, and tried to move the pillars aside. Aang asked Sokka to step aside, and earthbended the pillars to break it apart. The pillars split in half and flew to the side, and the entrance was clear. Toph walked into the temple.

"The place, there was some kind of fight here. The earth formations here are bended, not natural." Toph said.

"I can see it. Wait, there's something there!" Katara and Aang both rushed to what they saw, and saw that it was a man. An elderly man.

"Is he... you know, dead?" Aang said, and moved the body around to see the face of the elderly man.

"There's a really weak pulse. I'll try to heal him outside the temple, you guys be careful." Katara dragged the elderly man outside and left the three inside.

"This place seems really familiar..." Aang said as he touched the pillars on the wall.

"You went to the Sun Warriors' temples before, so of course it is!" Sokka mentioned. "This place bores me. There's nothing interesting."

"Wait, there's a tablet here!" Aang picked the jade-green rock tablet, and saw words on it.

"It seems that there are other pieces, let's find the other pieces!" Toph crossed her arms and blew her fringe up in a puff. Aang then said, "Err, Toph, you can go find other instances of bending around alright?" Toph then smiled, and walked to the far end of the temple.

"I found one!" Sokka waved at Aang, his hand holding onto a piece of rock.

"Good job, Sokka! Let's keep finding!" Aang found more tablets, and noticed something. _Wait a minute, the pieces are all arranged... Arranged? It can't be, the cut is not natural and seems to have been destroyed by some kind of force? _

_Maybe if I look down here... It is here! Let's see here, wait it's here too!_

"Aang! I found all of it! They were put nicely in a pattern for me to take, haha!" Sokka exclaimed and held the pieces in both arms, cradling the rock tablets and putting them down in the center of the temple. Aang then walked up to Sokka with more tablets.

"They seemed to be arranged in a circular manner, not sure what it means... Wait!"

"Circular? Like the moon cycle?" Sokka said, digging his nose.

"Yes! Do you remember what pieces you took from each position?" Sokka nodded his head, and they both started to place it out on the center of the temple.

The first one is the full moon, and the tablet was _Catastrop..._

The next one was the waning gibbous. _...he and pain._

"Catastrophe and pain..." Aang said.

"Sounds bad to me. Let's continue with this." Sokka placed the other table at the next area, supposedly to be the second half-moon. _Hatred and fear... _

The next tablet was placed at the another tile, to represent the waning crescent. _Agony and so..._

_...rrow. _The words were revealed as the next tablet was placed at the other tile, to represent the new moon.

_Only he cou..._ The tablet was placed on the tile, to represent the waxing crescent.

.._.ld bring this to..._ The next one placed to represent the first half-moon.

_...the world._ The next one placed to represent the waxing gibbous.

"Wait, the last sentence is a whole piece! It covers the full-moon once more. It says..._Save that none would unlock its mystery._" Aang put down the tablet and looked at Sokka.

"Is something suppose to happen?"

The moment he said that, the temple started shaking and vibrating wildly. Collapsed pillars vibrated wildly, and sand started pouring from the top of the temple down on the ground. "Toph!" Toph turned around at the united voice of Sokka's and Aang's voice, and bent the pillars upwards to stop the ceiling from collapsing downwards. Aang also started to bend the earth, and tried to prevent the cracks of the ceiling from widening further.

"We can't hold on anymore! Let's get out of here!" Aang and Sokka started to run for the exit.

"Toph!" Aang turned around to see Toph trying to bend the earth upwards, and creating earth pillars from the ground to support the ceiling.

"Go! I will hold out for awhile!"

Aang wanted to run, but Sokka stopped him by grabbing his arm and dragged the regretful-looking Aang out of the collapsing temple.

As Toph tried to bend the earth, she took small steps and headed for the exit. She moved forward, ignoring the sand from the ceiling. More sand started to pour, and it sunk into her hair. She shook her head and took a few more steps.

Just a few more steps and she would reach the center. She stamped her foot on the ground, and bent the earth to cover her legs to stop her feet from wobbling. She bent the earth-shoes forward, and quickly reaching the center of the temple.

Earthbent pillars started to fall, and more sand started to pour. Sand dunes quickly formed at the back of the temple, but Toph was nearing the exit. Then, she fell down.

It was too much.

"Toph!" Aang flew in with his glider, and grabbed the exhausted Toph from the ground and took her out of the temple.

"Toph... I'm so sorry we left you behind." Aang caressed Toph's cheeks as Toph sunk away into sleep, over-exerting her earthbending. The man that Katara had healed was almost recovering, having a steadier and deeper breathing than before. Sokka looked solemnly at Toph.

"Let's get out of here. This thing is crazy!" Sokka started to stand.

"Wait, we haven't solved a thing yet. We can't just leave!" Aang grabbed Sokka's hand, only to be shook off.

"We can't stay. Who knows what's gonna happen? What if there's some kind of giant man-eating spider coming out from that temple?" Sokka started to walk forward, onto the elevating path out to the desert plains. The sky was still dark, and the crescent moon still hung high on the sky.

"He's right, we can't stay. Aang, Toph's need to be healed. We can return next time." Katara looked into Aang's eyes kindly, and embraced Aang lightly.

"No." Aang pushed Katara away. "You guys leave for Appa, and set up camp. I will head in to find out more about the tablet." Aang earthbent the pillars blocking the exit, and entered the temple.

"Aang!" Katara shouted.

"Let's leave. Toph's out cold." Sokka then carried Toph, bridal-style, and walked out of the place.

* * *

Aang walked inside. The temple has stopped vibrating, and it seemed brighter than before. He looked up, and found a giant gap in the center of the temple, the moon light shining brightly. Aang bent a fire, and used it as a lamp to find his around the area.

_It seems so familiar..._

He ran around the place, and decided to venture to the far end of the temple to find other exits or interesting objects. He looked warily to the sides, and occasionally turning around and funneling an air tunnel at the direction he's facing, only to find out it was mole-beaver. A mole-beaver nibbled Aang's legs, and Aang bent down to caress the furry creature.

_I don't suppose you can help, do you? _The mole-beaver looked at Aang, seemingly able to understand and read his thoughts at the same time.

The mole-beaver took off quickly, and Aang decided to follow the furry creature quickly.

"Wait up!"

The mole-beaver reached a wall, and squeaked loudly and quickly. Then it ran away. Aang felt the wall, and took a stance. He made a gesture, and pulled the wall aside to reveal an inner sanctum. The inner sanctum was dimly lit by candles and lanterns, and in the center of the inner sanctum was a carpet.

"This carpet looks... alive!" He felt the carpet, and suddenly he started to glow.


	9. Aang Disappears

"Woah! Who are you?"

Aang opened his eyes slowly. The sky above him was brightly lit by the sun, and the sudden exposure to light caused him to squint. He tried to move his hands a bit, then realised his body was exhausted. He blinked a few times, and his sight was clearer. He squinted at the figure before him.

"Come on, take my hand. I'll pull you up."

The figure's voice was female, but it was filled with gusto, pride and strength. A hand was extended to Aang, and he took the hand, feeling the rough skins of the inner palm. The figure pulled him up, and Aang looked at the person.

"Who are you?"

Aang shook his head, and tried to speak. His head hurts badly and a sharp ringing kept hitting his right ear. He opened his mouth slowly, and mouthed the word 'Aang', before he collapsed into the person's arms.

"Hang in there, boy. You need some rest!"

The person carried Aang over her shoulder, and sped off.

* * *

The temple became more ruined that before. As Toph, Katara, Sokka and the unknown old man were heading out of the place, the temple shook once more, this time not staying at the same spot again. The quake hit the temple hard, and it sunk even deeper into the sand like Wan Shi Tong's library.

"Aang!" Katara turned back and tried to run towards the temple, dropping the old man on the sand. Sokka looked at the sinking temple in shock, and turned away, eyebrows knitted tightly.

"He's...not gonna make it, isn't he." Toph, in Sokka's arms, said softly.

"I hope not." Sokka said, and Toph closed her eyes, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Is Toph awake? She can stop the temple from sinking! Please!" Katara shouted.

"She can't. Katara, let's go. Aang will make it out of there, I'm sure he can. He's the Avatar."

"But he's also just a boy. Our friend. My boyfriend." Katara knelt down on the sand, weeping silently. Sokka turned his back, said that he's going to find Suki and the rest, and started walking out.

* * *

Aang opened his eyes again. This time, the place he was in was dimly lit by small candles on the sconces of the wall, and he faintly remembered how he was transported here. He tried to sit up, but there was a sudden rush of nausea. He turned to side, grabbed a bucket and vomited into it. Then he tried to sit up again.

He slowly put his head on the wall, and laid down on the pillow, trying to remember what happened...

_I had put my hand on something... Was it a mat? A carpet? How did it look like?_

_Tui and La... Moon. That's it! It looked like the yin and yang symbol, but the yin was bigger than the yang. The white circle in the yin was smaller than the correct symbol. Strange._

_I'm glowing? Wait, woah! What's happening, the carpet's glowing too!_

_I have to get out of here!_

_The temple's collapsing AGAIN? I've got to stop the temple from collapsing further, maybe bend some pillars to support the ceiling like Toph did._

_I wonder how's Toph._

_Oh no, the exit is blocked, I have to bend some air to protect myself. There, I encircled myself in an air circle, it should be easy._

_No, the rocks are too much!_

_I have to get to the center of the temple! There's a large gap up there, maybe I can go through there._

_Why is the gap green? This is strange. No matter, I will jump up and -_

"Ahh!" A sudden rush of migraine hit him badly, and he vomited once more. His body became more exhausted, and tried to lie down and get some sleep. But the memory was too fresh in his mind, and he couldn't sleep. Then he heard whispers.

"Whueneionboeisl?"

"Wojgiwegje."

He couldn't hear the whispers properly, so he quietly stepped down the bed, and tried to stand up straight. He fell down back on the bed, and caused some noise as his bum hit the mattress, which caused the springs below to squeak momentarily. The whispers stops temporarily, but then it continued.

He stood up again, this time he decided to crawl to the door instead of walking there. With some effort, he carefully tread the floor and put his ears on the door.

"He's Avatar Aang? No way. You're kidding right!"

"No! Korra personally told the White Lotus Sentry to guard Aang and stop him from running away."

"Does Tenzin know about this?"

"Tenzin suspected a bit, but he thought it was an air acolyte. Anyways, Korra will Tenzin about her plan with the Avatar later on."

"Right. Ya hungry? I'm itching for some steamed hotcakes." Footsteps were heard, and it grew fainter.

_I'm captured by someone! I need to escape, and get back to Ba Sing Se! _Aang thought. He pushed the door opened, and slowly crept out of the room. He turned to the left and right. _No one around._

He tiptoed down the walkway, and stopped to hide by one of the pillars as two men walked down the walkway, hotcakes in hand. The aroma diffused across the air as the men munched on their food. After they crossed the pillar, Aang slipped out and quickly made his way out of the walkway.

"The door's open! The Avatar escaped!"

"Sound the alarm! We need every man on hand to prevent Avatar Aang's escape! He's too weak to run now!"

_Too weak? I'll show you weak. _

Aang climbed up a pillar up to the roof, laid down flat on the walls as more men dressed in blue and white clothing shine light on the roofs. Aang knitted his eyebrows, trying to come up with a plan. _What would Sokka do... _

Inspiration suddenly poured into his mind as an idea slowly surfaced in his brain. As the men stood near a giant boulder and started to discuss the plan to capture him, Aang decided to airbend a gale to blow them to the sea.

_I'm on an island? Where am I? _

He moved his wrist gracefully, and breathed in deeply in long intervals. He started forming a breeze which rustled the leaves of the trees, then increased the wind speed to form a strong wind, blowing out the fire of the torches and candles. The pulled up their hoods, and slowly dispersed, but Aang made the wind even stronger. A gale was blowing at the men, and the roof tiles were pulled out by the wind. They either slid the roof and hit the walkway, or flew to the beach.

The men could not withstand the gale, and were pushed back by the gale. Some hid behind the rocks, but Aang earthbent the rocks to simultaneously push them back with the wind. The men quickly ran to the sea and swam a distance away before Aang leapt over the roof to another walkway.

_A ship! _

Aang noticed a giant barge, its sail rolled up and quietly sitting by the jetty. Then there was a voice.

"Stop! Avatar!"

He turned around, and saw that it was man dressed in dark green clothes, a scarf around his neck. His face was striking, and his hair covered in gel, standing up like a half-mohawk. Then Aang noticed that the man was holding a staff.

"My staff! Give it back to me!" Aang adopted a stance, and he was ready to fight to get his staff.

"I am not your enemy. Korra wants you rested and ready for tomorrow."

"How do I know that you're not tricking me! You might be trying to kill me!" Aang took a step backwards.

The man moved forward, and the darkness did not shroud his face anymore. He was also a teenager, around the same age as Zuko.

"Here's your staff." The guy put down the staff, and kicked it to Aang who grabbed it in a motion. Aang turned around and run before leaping off and gliding away. The guy shouted 'wait!', but Aang was already in mid-air.

Then suddenly he was going down. There was sharp pain in his shoulders and a wave of migraine hit his head once more. The sudden exertion of his muscles and bending was too much for his exhausted body to handle, and he plummeted down into the sea.

The guy quickly ran to where Aang was, and picked him up. He turned around and sped off.


	10. Breakout

"Urgh..."

"Are you okay? You have hurt yourself pretty badly with that fall, so we kind of fixed you up." A girl put her hand on Aang's shoulders, which was bandaged thickly. Blood covered a smallish patch near the shoulder-bone, and the girl removed her hand.

"We're your allies, not your enemy." Another teenager said to the groggy-feeling Aang. Aang breathed in deeply and got up from the bed, before looking at the people standing in front of him.

A girl, clad in water-tribe clothes, looked at Aang with concern. Another teenager, this time bigger-sized than the 'half-mohawk teenager', stood crossed-arm. The half-mohawk teenager stood by the door, his eyes looking down at his shoes.

"It's time we introduced ourselves! I'm Bolin!" The bigger-sized teenager said heartily before pointing at the other guy. "That's my brother, Mako. He gave you your staff, remember?"

"And I'm Korra." The girl walked up to Aang. "I'm the A-Ow! What are you doing?" Bolin looked at Korra with eyes that mean 'shut-up', and apparently had elbowed her before she could finish her sentence.

"You should rest, you caused quite a bit of a stir and we don't want Tenzin to notice you just yet." Korra said, with a frown on her face.

"Who's... Tenzin?" Aang said, after mustering some energy.

"Your so- never mind, he's just a very naggy guy who might faint from shock seeing you here." Korra turned around and gestured that they were going to leave the room to leave Aang to recuperate. Aang nodded his head lightly before collapsing back onto the bed, this time he closed his eyes and drifted off to deep sleep.

* * *

"Father told us to arrive at this destination at this time."

"It appears that our Father might be less punctual this time. Let us take cover, lest a guard notices us."

The two twins, eerily similar in terms of facial appearance, made their way to an unlocked storeroom and lock themselves shut inside.

"Desna, where is the cell in which the prisoner is located?"

"The dead middle of this metallic jailhouse. Let's go."

"But what about father?"

"Eska, I think our Father would want us to bust him out, ourselves."

Eska nodded her head, and quickly opened the door. Desna went out first, and quickly clambered up a rope dangling from the floor above. Eska followed suit, and Desna gestured his sister to take the other route to the boilery, which was located at the floor above. Desna then sped off in the opposite direction as Eska climbed up the stairs.

The boilery was boiling with heat and flames. The men inside were clad in thin robes, and they were busy tending the flames of the boiling machines. The metal contraptions made noises momentarily, letting off a fit of steam through the vents and pipes. Eska clambered up a ladder, and observed the men. The men were too busy to notice the climbing girl, and Eska decided to find the plans for the boilery system.

Knowing well that the plans would not be kept in obvious areas, or it will be kept in locked areas, she decided to target solitary engineers to find the plans. She walked the warm metal walkway, and turned to her right. An engineer was tending a giant machine on his own, and the room was empty. She looked up the ceilings to search for guards, and seeing that there was no guards, she could proceed with her plans.

With a turn of her wrist, she condensed the water from the steam and atmosphere. She moved the water around, then doused the flames of another giant machine in the same room.

The engineer took notice, and with a confused 'huh', he walked up to the machine. Eska condensed more water from the steam before encasing the engineer's legs, and hands in ice. The engineer fell down, and Eska knocked out the falling engineer with a whip from the water.

She bent down, and searched the engineer for any valuable items. She felt the pocket of the engineer's pants rustle, then putting her hand inside to take out a tattered and brown piece of paper.

With careful studying, she noticed that she was at the upper-level of the boilery. The main machine, which was responsible for the heat and metal production in the entire prison, was at the lower-level, apparently guarded by numerous men. Eska then unfroze the engineer, and gathered every water droplet she could muster.

After gathering a sizeable amount of water, she cut the metal with a sharp turn of her wrist. With graceful moments, the water cut through the thick metal covering, revealing the innards of the contraption. She smiled, knowing the machine was vulnerable, and then gave one last hit inside the machine.

The machine started to shake wildly and Eska quickly bolted out of the room and clambered down a ladder. She ran towards a wall before hiding behind it. More steam started to emerge from the room, and the engineers started to take notice.

"Why didn't Lee say anything about a malfunction?" One of the engineers said, irritatedly.

"Damn, it looks like pressure damage to me." Then, some of the engineers started to find their way to the upper level.

On hearing the word 'pressure', Eska knew how to sabotage the system. Pressure was its weakness, despite that it ran on pressure itself. She quickly bent the steam within the pipes to stop them from going further, and built up the steam within. With some focusing, she quickly condensed the steam to water in the pipes, and more water started to fill the pipe.

The pipe started to shake and boom! It gave way.

The pipe exploded and shrapnels hit some of the men, causing some injuries. One of the machines started to shake, and Eska clambered down the ladder to the stairs at the far end.

"Stop! Intruder!"

She turned around to see two men, covered in skeleton masks, pointing at her. The men took their stances, and punched two fireballs towards her. She leapt out of the way, jumped up the wall and bent some water from the pipes to the men.

A man jumped out of the way before watching the other man fall down the walkway to the floor below. He fired another firebolt at her but Eska blocked the firebolt with her water. She whipped the man before pushing the man down with a large funnel of water.

Eska ran to the stairs and walked down. Incessant shouting of the men and putrid odours filled the room, and apparently whatever happened above caused mayhem at the bottom. Eska smiled another time after noticing a gigantic pipe in the middle of the room.

She closed her eyes, felt the water inside the pipe with her bending, then built up the pressure inside the pipe. She expanded the water to allow it to hit the walls, and the pipe quickly exploded. The men shouted, and everyone was making their way out of the room. Eska knew it was time to escape.

She bent the water, and surfed out of the room before heading to the cell where the prisoner was.

All this time, Desna was busy avoiding detection. In a flash, he doused the torches that were hung on the walls. When the guards took notice and went to inspect it, he quickly used water to push them down the prison and throw them over the ledge. The guards quickly plummeted to their ends.

The same trick did not work this time, and two guards took notice of the flowing robes that he was wearing. Desna knitted his eyebrows, trying to come up with a plan. Then he heard a massive explosion.

"The boilery!" One the guards shouted, and another guard went up the stairs. An alarm bell was heard ringing from the watchtower, and many guards were headed towards the source of the explosion. Desna then clambered up the stairs to head for the sixth floor. _One more floor to go. _'

"Eska! That was a fine job you have done." Desna said to the surfing Eska.

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Desna took the wave Eska was surfing and they both made their way to the seventh floor to locate the cell of the prisoner.

A guard took notice.

"Hey! Intruder! Intru-" Desna kicked him over the ledge before going to the seventh cell. He bent the water, and pushed the metal door open. Both of them looked at the man inside the prison cell.

"So, we're saving this guy? Not very impressive." Eska said to herself.

The man inside the cell looked up at the twins before standing up. Desna severed the metal grills and bars of the prison cell before bringing gesturing the man to follow them.

There were more explosions, and a firestorm brewed up gradually. Desna and Eska created an ice slide, and held the man's hands. Then they jumped down the slide, and they reached the bottom of the prison to the ground level. They jumped off the slide and rolled to their left before stopping by a watchtower.

A man was standing there, dressed similarly as the twins.

"I assume you are the man I'm looking for."

"Who are you?"

"I am the one who will avenge you, and I would need your help." The man said slowly.

"I can't help you, the Avatar...he took by bending away." The escapee turned away, wallowing in pity and regret for a moment.

"Don't worry about that, I can restore that for you." The twins let go of the escapee and followed the man as he walked away.

"But you're not the Avatar! How could you -" The escapee walked up to the man.

"All in due time, Ozai. All in due time."


	11. Aang Meets

"Where could Aang be, it's been two days..." Katara looked out of the window.

"I'm sure he's fine, he's probably adventuring in the Spirit World or something, it always happen to him anyways." Sokka put his hand on his sister's shoulders, before looking down on the floor.

* * *

"Rise slowly, Aang." Korra slowly helped the boy up from his bed, and walked him out of the room. Aang felt sharp pains in his shoulder and he let go of Korra before kneeling down on the floor. The pain was unbearable.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it will heal. Right now, you have to come with me."

"Where am I going?" Aang said.

"You're going to see something." Korra smiled before helping Aang up from the floor, and she then opened the door.

"This isn't the same room I was in the first day, is it?" Aang asked.

"Observant."

Both Korra and Aang turned to the side and looked at a man, clad in airbender robes, slowly rubbing his beard.

"Tenzin! Uh, I didn't you would be here! Why, I'm just going to show this guy around the place, so uh, see you later right? Bye!" Korra quickly pushed Aang in front before Tenzin shouted at them.

"Would someone please explain why I have an air acolyte on my Air Temple Island?"

_Air Temple Island? Wow. _Aang thought of how it could possible to have an Air Temple on an Island, unknown to him. And he was not an air acolyte! But Aang was too tired to answer and quickly walked off the platform.

"I'll talk to you later about this, Tenzin. He needs to rest, so buzz off." Korra then walked with Aang towards the beach, leaving the confused Tenzin looking at the pair. _Strange, he looks oddly familiar._

"Where am I? Where are my friends?"

"Friends? Oh I didn't notice your friends, perhaps we will find them later on." Korra smiled and sat down on a rock before helping Aang to sit down on it. She then pointed towards a gigantic, green statue in the middle of the sea.

"That's you."

"Me?" Aang looked at the green statue more closely before noticing the striking resemblance: tattoos, face, robes and staff.

"Why me?"

"You built this city with Firelord Zuko, the city where it belongs to no nation and no kingdom."

Aang thought back slowly. "Yu Dao? How long have I passed out?"

"You merely travelled more than seventy years into the future." Korra smiled and laughed once she said that. Aang was shocked, and his mind went bonkers. _Future? _

Aang stood up and shook his head. "I have to clear my head awhile, this is too much for me to take." Korra handed Aang his staff, before nodding her head. Aang took the staff and equipped the glider. He ran on the beach, then flew into the air. This time, more shocks made their way.

There was a city in-front of him, with tall buildings dotting the center of the city. Small buildings, dot the side, and large brigs and barges fill the jetty and bay. There were flickering lights and small moving vehicles on the road, and smoke filled the air, giving the city a shroud of mystery and seduction. Aang rubbed his eyes, could it be for real?

Aang quickly arrived at the statue. It was much bigger than it looked like from the beach, and it was built on an island. He looked up from the bottom, and was wide-eyes with excitement and astonishment. _A statue of me? Wow._

Then he thought of Korra, waiting for him by the beach. He quickly left the island and flew back to the beach. Once he landed on the shore, he was greeted by Bolin and Mako, both much more happier than the first time they met. Aang looked at Bolin, then looked at Mako, to whom he smiled sheepishly to. Mako nodded his head, and accepted the silent apology.

"It's time for you to see Tenzin!" Korra then led Aang to the another room, this time much bigger.

There were three small children sitting in the center, and a woman tending a fire. Tenzin sat on a mat, busy trying to calm down the crying baby. Aang looked at the people intently. Curious he may be, but the entire atmosphere of foreignness was giving him the shivers. Korra gestured for him to sit down, and everyone sat down on the mats.

"Hi! I'm Jinora, and this is Ikki who-"

"I'm Ikki! I love talking and airbending! I can't stop talking sometimes so you have to bear with me. Wow, what's with that tattoo on your head -" - which made Aang touched his bald head and ask 'what about it?' - "-? It looks so special! And you're bald, are you a monk? You kind of look like my father, Tenzin, and he's tending to Rohan, the baby. Oh and can you play the spinning gates with me? Or maybe we could play air scooter racing?"

Aang shook his head and said "Stop" to the chattering Ikki, implying that she was a bit too talkative. Ikki merely smiled and woke up Meelo, who was snoring away.

"I'm Meelo! I -" and he fell to deep sleep again. Tenzin then asked Aang who he was. Before Aang could answer, Korra butted in and said that she would explain.

"No, Korra. I want this young boy to explain himself. So, explain."

"I'm from the Southern Air Temple."

"I didn't ask where you're from, I asked who you are!" Tenzin said.

"I'm Aang."

Tenzin stopped carrying the baby, and gave it to Jinora. He put his hand on the table. "You what?"

"I'm Aang, the Avatar! You know, I defeated Firelord Ozai. That Avatar." Aang then stood up and bent an air marble, which then expanded to an air scooter for Aang to ride around the room. He then got off and said, "I'm the last airbender."

"You're not! I can do that too!" Ikki bent an air scooter and rode on, with Meelo following suit. Jinora told them to stop doing that, before doing the same thing too. The three of them rode around the place before going back to their mats.

"More airbenders? Ozai did not, you know, find you? I thought he killed all of them in the Hundred Year War!"

"He did, but then you came along. Then you made Tenzin and Tenzin made us. We're all airbenders 'cept for our mother, Pema!" Jinora said.

"This is crazy. I made Tenzin? But how?"

"You and gran-gran Katara both did something, and Tenzin came out." Ikki said, before Jinora told her to keep her mouth shut as everyone looked at Ikki awkwardly. Ikki said 'what?' before crossing her arms and sulked away. Tenzin then looked at Aang.

"It can't be! That's not possible! Korra, why are you -"

"Tenzin, it's really your dad. He came from the past and I found him, so..."

"Korra!" Tenzin then looked at Aang. "You can't be my father- I mean Aang! But you're exactly the same..."

"I'm Aang! I don't know about the 'father' part...But I'm Aang!" Aang smiled at the shocked man, and saw a woman put down a few bowls of vegetable soup. Everyone distributed the soup and handed everyone spoons and chopsticks. Tofu and vegetables were served in large plates, and an aroma filled the air.

"Oh man, I've got to take some meat later on when I go to Republic City." Bolin said.

"Not the best time, Bo?" Mako punched Bolin in the bicep. Bolin rubbed his arm and nodded his head.

"You sound like my best friend, Sokka." Aang said, his eyes wandering off to the ceilings and everyone else. "He's always talking about meat."

"Councilman Sokka? Why, he's been dead a long time ago!" Bolin said.

"Councilman? Wow, what a title. Dead?" Aang pondered on the thought. "I would've expected."

"So, can someone please fill me in on how this meeting with Aang can actually be possible?" Tenzin said exasperatedly. Korra laughed, and started to recount her story along with Aang.


	12. Premonition

"You brought me all the way from the Fire Nation to some filthy water-tribe squat?" Ozai huffed, trudging beside the man who broke him free. "Besides, you haven't told me your name."

"I believe names are not important as of now." The man smiled, and ordered the twins to head back to the palace and stay put.

"Desna, Eska, head back to the palace and check on the officials. If they suspect anything about my sudden disappearance, allow them to _suddenly disappear too_." The twins nodded, and quickly made their way to giant ice building. Ozai shivered a bit, before taking a fur coat from the man.

"You'll get used to the cold, and once I give you your bending, you will fine."

"What are you?" Ozai asked, before looking at entire place. _This place seems different. _"And everyone here seems a bit more, different."

The man gestured for Ozai to follow him. "I am a savior, a hero, a saint. I am more than everything." The man froze the water in the canal to form an ice path for them walked, and Ozai tread across carefully to avoid slipping. "I believe you'll find chemistry in me, and you'll find joy in my plans."

"I'll await your briefing, right now, where do I live?"

The man handed Ozai some water-tribe clothes, and gave him a necklace made of whale teeth. "Wear these clothes, lest you incur the suspicion of the others. We allow few immigrants, let alone an _ex_-Firelord. You will live with me, in the palace. I will introduce you to my citizens as my right-hand man, my loyal advisor and minister. On one condition."

Ozai's left eyebrow went up, and looked at the man. The man looked strong and capable, and his mind seems to be filled with plans of great undertaking and effort, with great fruits of rewards at the end. _Just like me. _Ozai smiled, and said that he would not mind.

"You are to wear a half-mask on your right. This mask is supposedly to disallow the citizens from recognising you."

"They're still fresh from the memory of me being imprisoned, aren't they?"

"I'm afraid not. It's much simpler than that. They learnt of that in school." The man moved his hand and beckoned Ozai to follow him again. Ozai was confused, but he knew he should not question too much of this man. He walked up the icy stairs while donning his new clothes, and felt instantly warmer and more comfortable. He walked into the palace, and saw the inside was a beautiful encasing of ice, with ice tables and ice chairs. Crystals dot the walls, and a water-tribe flag was hung behind the throne. _I would've claimed this place as a Fire Nation city if not for the Avatar_. He thought.

"Oh. Your hatred for the Avatar is painfully obvious on your face." The man said, smiling.

"I don't hate the Avatar!" Ozai said, seething with anger.

"Your hatred was not for the boy, but for his idea of peace, and your _son_." Ozai turned his head away, and walked away to his room.

"Even with power, they were weak, indecisive. My son... I have _no son._" After saying that, Ozai pushed open a door and slammed it behind. The man laughed, and walked to Eska and Desna, who were just arriving.

"So, was there any concerning issues?"

"It seems that the Minister of War possesses a considerable amount of suspicion for your sudden absence, Father. What do you recommend for our next course of action?" Desna asked.

"Death."

* * *

Korra twisted and turned on the bed. Sweat dropped from her forehead and temples. Her whole body was perspiring, and it was not the heat from the weather. It was the heat of the nightmare.

_Where am I?_

Korra looked at her surroundings. It was the Spirit World, no doubt, for she could identify the bat and worm spirits crawling about the trees, but she could bend. It was different.

_I'm not in the Spirit World, right? This is a dream. Just a dream._

She walked around the place. Tall trees created a dense forest with shrouded the area with darkness, and a musty smell filled the atmosphere. Korra coughed, and decided to find the exit. Then, she heard a loud growl from afar. She turned around, but there was nothing but a small worm, trying to crawl under a tree.

_It's trying to crawl away, from something. What is it?_

She decided to briskly walk around, instead of strolling about while having much caution. Then she heard a voice. She turned back, and saw a figure approaching her. She readied her stance, and before blasting air at the figure, she realised it was just Aang.

"You're here too?"

Simultaneously, while Korra was having nightmares, Aang too was having troubles trying to sleep. Deep sleep incurred a nightmare, and he found himself here.

"I don't know. I couldn't sleep, but when I did, I came here." Aang scratched his bald head, and walked with Korra.

"Being Avatar comes with a guarantee to being crazy." Korra said. Aang laughed, and observed the environment.

"I know! I can call on Avatar Roku for help!" Aang said, and quickly sat down cross-legged. Korra nodded her head, and sat down, watching Aang breathe in and out slowly. Then a blue figure emerged from Aang, before forming the spectral form of Avatar Roku.

"Another nightmare, Avatar Roku. This time, Avatar Korra is also facing the same problem too." Aang said, his eyes filled with bewilderment. "I need your wisdom on this, Avatar Roku."

"Korra, Aang. Your meeting was not unplanned, but merely a twist of fate." Roku said, stroking his beard. "This place, look at the trees and spirits. What do you see? What do you feel?"

"I saw some spirit worms and bats. They were all flying away from _that_ direction." Korra pointed to her right, which was a pathway to somewhere.

"The trees are... tall?" Aang said, not knowing anything about the place. "This place gives me the creeps."

"What could they be escaping from? Why does this place creep you out?" Roku continued.

"Danger? Or perhaps fear?" Korra said, and Roku nodded his head. Roku turned to look at Aang, who was trying to form an answer.

"Uh...I know! Uh... Maybe because its dark and scary?" Aang said before scratching his head in confusion, then Roku nodded his head. "I'm correct?"

"This place, is a warning by the past Avatars. This place, is a warning by the Avatar State. This place, is a warning by Raava."

"Raava? Who's that?" Korra asked.

"It's someone you know, deep inside you. She's been there for every Avatar." Roku said, before continuing. "Your destiny, is to prevent this darkness from shrouding the world. The Winter Solstice is round the corner, and the danger has already started." Roku then faded away like dust in the wind, and left the two confused Avatars behind.

"When's Winter Solstice?" Aang said.

"After a week. And I know just what to!" Korra said, with confidence, before continuing.

"We'll go to the Glacier Spirits Festival."


	13. Can Time be Bent?

"How do I get back to my friends? I have to tell them what happened."

The day was pretty much peaceful, but Aang was set on returning to his world, knowing his friends will be very worried. Avatar or not, friends worry about each other, and he was also worried for them. Korra then answered.

"I'll ask Koh."

"Who's Koh?"

"You know, the creepy centipede thing with a lot of faces."

Aang nodded his head, and cautioned Korra to not show any emotion nor feelings at all. Both Avatars assumed their meditation positions, and promptly entered the Spirit World. Korra and Aang both found themselves on a puddle of water, and Aang looked down to see Avatar Roku in the reflection.

"You will do it again this time, Aang. For Korra, you must follow Aang's lead. He will show you how." Korra nodded her head and walked up to the giant cave. Faceless capuchins and monkeys cover the area, and both of them warily stepped inside the dark cave. A few clicks were heard and Koh suddenly appeared in front of them, his body moving slowly in tune with their heart beats.

"What brings _both _Avatars here, in my presence? What an _honor_." Koh said, his face looking intently at Aang.

"I have travelled into the future, and I require assistance to get back to my world. To my friends." Aang said slowly, emotionless. Korra stood beside him, and bit her tongue to prevent her from saying anything stupid. Koh listened, before crawling about the walls.

"I know that. Your...travel, as I say, has disrupted the balance of the world. Time seems meaningless at this point." Koh said, before diving down and appearing in front of Korra with the face of a baboon. Korra did not look shocked, but bit her tongue even harder and clenching her first. Koh looked intently into her eyes before going to Aang.

"Avatar Korra here, possesses the power to send you back, but then if she uses it, there might be a time where it will be needed the most." Aang looked at Korra puzzledly, then turned to look at Koh.

"I do not understand." Aang said.

"Time, like an element, can be manipulated. Twisted. Used." Koh twisted and turned while saying, changed his face. A face of an elderly man was shown. "With a bit of bending, this, turns to this." The face changes into a younger face of an adult woman, with flowing hair. Koh then reverted his face back to the face of the baboon.

"Your friend does not know how to use it. Time is a fragile thing. With the lack of knowledge, even the simplest turn of the wrists will be drastic." Korra nodded her head, and looked at the twisting centipede. Koh climbed around the walls and surrounded both Avatars, and looked at Korra.

"I know everything, but I reveal none. Your answers lies in Wan Shi Tong's library. I presume Aang had a bit of a... meeting with that dreary owl?" Koh said, with contempt and sarcasm.

"That's it!" Aang said, snapping his fingers. Koh quickly moved to look at Aang, who quickly assumed his emotionless face. Aang bowed down with Korra, and thanked Koh for his advice. Koh watched the Avatars leave his cave.

"One day, I will, Avatar Aang. One day." Koh mumbled softly, and went back into the darkness.

Korra heaved a sigh of relief. Aang looked at Korra and smiled. "That was, pretty insane." Korra said, and breathed in deeply.

"You were biting your tongue then entire time?" Aang said.

Korra nodded her head, and asked Aang to lead her to Wan Shi Tong's library. Then Avatar Roku appeared and walked up to the Avatars. He place both of his hand on their shoulders, acknowledging their achievement. He then pointed to the east, and said that the library was there.

"You will need a friend here to help."

"Hei Bai!" Aang exclaimed as giant panda ran up to Aang and nuzzled against Aang's head. Korra looked at the panda and asked Aang who it was.

"This is Hei Bai, my friend. I helped him once. Let's ride on Hei Bai and get to the library!"

Roku watched both Avatars climb onto the panda, and watched the panda ride away to the east. He then faded away.

* * *

"I worry that this won't be as pleasant as the first meeting." Aang said.

"Why not?" Korra asked.

"The first meeting, we kind of used the knowledge for a war, so Wan Shi Tong was very displeased with us. He sunk the library to the Spirit World." Aang then got off the panda and helped Korra down. The panda then sped away from the library, which was hung upside down. Korra and Aang quickly leapt up the trees and swung across the vines before landing onto a ledge of the library walls.

"Are there no doors and windows?" Korra said, before climbing up the ledge and entering through a large gap and into the library. "Wow."

The library was still around the same when Aang entered it, books littered across some parts of the floor, and an uncountable number of bookshelves with uncountable numbers of books. Both Avatar started to walk into the center of the library, when they saw a frayed and very old rope on the ground. Aang picked up the rope.

"This was the rope I climbed into the library with Sokka, Katara and a Professor."

"Sounds pretty crazy." Korra said, before walking further. She then saw a fox, whose mouth was biting onto a thick book, and watched it put the book into one of the the empty slots of the bookshelves. It scurried away before a large wind descended on both Avatars. They braced the wind before looking at a large owl land on the walkway.

"What brings _two _unwelcome visitors to my library?" Wan Shi Tong said, his voice booming.

"Wan Shi Tong, I know I have misused the knowledge in your library, but it help saved lives, prevent a full-scale destruction of the world and your world too. The world has been brought to balance, at least for now." Aang protested.

"And I have never used anything here, Wan Shi Tong. Allow us to browse the knowledge here." Korra added.

"No. Leave this place." Wan Shi Tong eyed Korra.

"I'm sure you don't know what's a radio right?" Korra said, and Aang shrugged.

"It is a box where a tiny man sit inside, playing music and saying things. I know everything." Wan Shi Tong said proudly.

"No. I'm afraid you're wrong. There is no tiny man, but real actual, life-sized men sitting in radio stations to send electromagnetic waves of their voices and music through a microphone, transmitted by a -"

"Enough!" Wan Shi Tong looked at one of the foxes angrily, who quickly scurried away into the darkness. "Very well, a fine piece of information. _You _may browse my library." He looked at Aang. "And what about you?"

"I saw that Koh the Face Stealer has a new face... does that count?" Aang said sheepishly.

Wan Shi Tong cocked his head to the right, before nodding his head. "Fine. Knowing more about the Spirit World counts too."

With distaste he said, "Very well. You may access every part of the library, on one condition."

"What is it?" Both Avatars said in unison.

"Any point of time where a piece of precious knowledge here is used for destruction or war, I will command the Spirits here to invade your world, and claim the human world for ours." Wan Shi Tong then flew away.

"You have my word, Wan Shi Tong!" Aang shouted, before Wan Shi Tong vanished into the darkness.

Aang bent down and looked at one of the foxes. "Can you find us a book on time-bending?" The fox cocked its head, and ran off in a direction. "Follow him, Korra!" Both Avatars started to follow the running fox, and they quickly reached a giant door. The fox then crawled into a hole.

"Open it!" Korra said, and the Avatars started to push the door open. The door did not budge, then the fox appeared out of the hole. It was carrying two gloves, and it put the gloves by the Avatars' legs. Then Korra put one of the gloves on her left and Aang put the other on his right. Together, they pushed open the door with the gloved hand, and the door opened easily.

"What kind of glove am I wearing?"

"This is called, the Time-Glove."

* * *

"Who are you?" Korra and Aang took a step forward and looked at the man. He was sitting there on a platform, his eyes closed.

"You're... Shi?" Korra said, mouth agape.

"It's been such a long time since I've heard that name." Shi stood up, and opened his eyes.

"You're... blind!" Aang said, and continued. "How could Wan Shi Tong allow you to live in his library?"

"And you're the Avatar! If you didn't die, how could we be born?" Korra said and briefly told Aang about Shi's story.

"In exchange for staying here, I gave up my sight and stored my thoughts, precious knowledge and memory in it. Fifteen centuries worth of information was enough for Wan Shi Tong to allow me to stay. And in essence, I removed my Avatar state. I can no longer enter the Avatar State and bend." Shi stroked his long, ash-brown beard. He looked at Aang, and smiled. "I presume you're wondering why I chose to stay here?"

"How do you know?"

"First, let me answer to your thought." Shi gestured for them to sit down on the chairs inside, and he sat down on another one and faced them. "I wanted to stay here, to search for more knowledge on time-bending. Wan Shi Tong's library existed a long time ago, and it was the best way for me to learn something no one can teach."

"Wan Shi Tong, is that you?" _I asked the giant, looming owl. Despite that it was a great seven hundred or so centuries ago, he was already a proud and giant being, essentially immortal. Wan Shi Tong looked at me with distrust._

"I have never seen a mortal step into my secluded compound. What gives to right?" _Wan Shi Tong encircled me. I said I was the Avatar, and he said he knew. I asked for the permission to learn more, and he agreed. _

_Upon knowing that there are vast collections of knowledge here, I spent days inside, living on my supplies. There was too much for me to learn, and there was something that piqued me. Psychic bending._

_Bending elements with the mind. If I mastered it, I could bend every element, not to say time, with my mind! Without extravagant movement and stances, just by **thinking.**_ _But it comes with a price. _

"You have outlasted your welcome, mortal. Leave." _Wan Shi Tong said._

_I protested, and asked for a few more days. But he refused, and we had short bout. We fought across the place, and tore up some bookshelves. But he was too good. My bending was weak with my hunger, and I gave up. Then I gave him this._

"My eyes have seen fifteen centuries of change. Allow me to finish reading this tome, and I will allow you to pry into my knowledge." _Wan Shi Tong considered, before saying, _"On one condition."

"Your information is not enough. For being overbearing and destructive, your sight must be taken as well. Offer me both, and you can stay here forever, provided you could live that long." _I agreed. Through a ritual, my sight and knowledge was given to Wan Shi Tong, and he imparted this knowledge to the foxes, who stored it accordingly. I remembered every detail of the book, and started practicing. It was a heavy price to pay, but one thing I did not give up was my ability to bend time._

_Many a time when I was dying, I bent time secretly, and reverted the age of my body to a twenty years old. Piped with energy, I practiced with much gusto. Then one day, I mastered it._

_Time was nothing to me at that moment of time, when I stopped one of the foxes from moving with my mind. I allowed it to move, then I stopped it again. It froze and unfroze, which amused me a bit. But it was not enough, I need to master it fully. I decided to practice on Wan Shi Tong._

_Apparently, whoever I bent time on has no recollection on what had happened, but in particular, Wan Shi Tong could. He unleashed his fury on me when he found out, and locked me up here. He took my gloves away, which were used to change the age of items and things. _

"Wow. What a tale." Aang said. "So how did you know what I was wondering?"

"Did you pay attention? I used psychic bending. Your question was posed to me a few seconds later, but I traveled a few seconds to the future to hear you, then come back."_  
_

"And I have no recollection of me saying that."

"That's because I prevented it. So, why have you come here?" Shi asked, and looked at the two Avatars.

"Sifu Shi, teach me time-bending." Korra knelt down and raised her arms, both hands put together to acknowledge Shi respectfully.

"The Time Lion-Turtle has gave you the power of time-bending didn't it? But there's a consequence to attaining full mastery of time-bending." Shi said, with a hint of regret.

"I do not care, I need to know what needs to be stopped before disaster strikes." Korra said, and Aang nodded in unison.

"The consequence is this: you can never enter the Avatar State." Shi said, and looked at the shocked Korra and Aang. "So, do you still want to master time-bending?"

"I...suppose, yes?" Korra said. Aang put his hand on her shoulder, and said, "You don't have to do this Korra, the Avatar State is too precious for that."

"You will still be _Avatar. _Raava will stay in you, but you can never tap into her powers anymore. Not till I discover a way to do so." Shi said, and stood up. "So, let's being your training."

"But bending is impossible in the Spirit World!" Aang said.

"With a bit of bending, I will revert the time here to when the Spirits allow bending arts to be performed, before their complete shutdown." Shi breathed in, and the area started to glow. Chairs and tables started to move around quickly, and some of the furniture vanished. The pictures on the wall, before that were torn, but now went back to being all new. Then the pictures vanish entirely, and in an instant, the floor turned from marble to granite, then to stone and then to grass. The walls started to crumble and the world outside was visible. There were tall grass and plains everywhere, and mountains loom at the distance. Aang and Korra marveled at the sight and Shi stopped right when the moon was full.

"You have just traveled back to my time, nine hundred and seventy centuries ago. Let's being training, Avatar Korra."


	14. The Avatar After Aang

In a small house situated in Ba Sing Se, team Avatar rested and stayed there for a week, awaiting Aang's arrival.

The team grew restless. Zuko, upon hearing his father's escape from prison, immediately rushed back home with Iroh. After bidding them goodbye, the team tended to the elderly man and Toph.

When Toph woke up, she asked for 'Twinkletoes', but Katara just shook her head in sadness. Toph turned away and went back to sleep, deeply worried for the Avatar. Sokka could not wolf down his food as easily as before, and even choked on a drumstick. The elderly man, reunited with the family, was the only one who could be happy and optimistic. Many a time he tried to lift the spirits of the team up, and thanking them profusely, but the team merely shook their heads and asked him to leave. The elderly man sighed, and continued with his duties.

"Where could Aang be?" Katara said as she gazed out the window.

"You've said that a thousand times since a week ago, Katara. How about we just sit and be quiet!" Sokka said angrily.

"Oh, am I the only one genuinely worried for him? 'Cos look at you, you're just eating and eating and loafing around! You never cared!" Katara protested, and crossed her arms. Suki put her hand on her shoulder.

"Sokka's equally frustated, I know it. You should know better. We should stay hopeful of Aang's return."

"Whatever." Katara got out of the house, and started to cry. She sat on the marble stairs, and wept silently. Tears trickled down from her eyes as she recounted the memories she had with Aang, and how Aang had cared and loved her, and how Aang saved the world with her together. She couldn't just let them go like that, Aang's too important to her.

"Why are you crying, Katara? Did you argue with Toph again?"

"Go away, Aang, I don't -" Katara looked up. "Aang? Aang! Aang, it's you! Aang!" Katara ran up to the boy and embraced him tightly. The two lovers held each other tightly, and Katara looked into Aang's eyes, giving him the 'where-have-you-been' look.

"I'll explain. Let's go inside." Aang and Katara both walked into the house, and greeted everyone. Toph jumped out of the bed and ran to Aang, and gave him a soft, warm hug. Aang blushed briefly, and Sokka joined in. Suki joined in and the whole team had a group hug.

After breaking from the hug, Aang asked for Zuko. Then Katara explained that Zuko went back home.

"Did something happen?"

"Well... Ozai..."

"What about Ozai, Katara?"

"He escaped. Someone helped him, and the whole prison was destroyed." Katara said. Aang was shocked, the danger _had already _started. He has to tell them what happened to him. But Aang was too overwhelmed by the journey back, and promptly vomited on the floor. Sokka jumped aside, disgusted.

"Ah! Aang! Don't you know your vomiting manners? You vomit in a bucket, or a bowl! Not near my feet!" Sokka quickly tried to brush off the bits of vomit on his leg, and Katara helped Aang down to lie on the bed. Suki and Sokka then cleared up the vomit and gathered around Aang with Toph.

"You're hurt badly at your shoulder, and there's nausea every where in your body." Katara covered her hand with a layer of water, and pressed her hands on Aang's chest. Aang tried to squirm, but relaxed later on. Katara then moved her hands around, asking Aang for the most painful spot.

"There it is! There! Ah..." Aang smiled, and the pain quickly subsided. Aang felt instantaneously better, and got up from the bed.

"It's time I told you what happened. And we will have guests later on."

* * *

"So, Ozai. I believe you want to know about my plan?"

"Can't wait." Ozai said, half-naked on the bed. Being woken up by this man in the wee hours of the morning wasn't the most appealing to him.

"You'll have to contain your... excitement. Right now, I would like you to meet my children, Desna and Eska." The twins walked into the room, and bowed.

"It appears that your body is uncovered. Perhaps I could suggest a warm covering of fur clothings, Ozai." Desna said, with a hint of distaste.

"You do not address me as Ozai directly, you fool!" Ozai stood up and glared at the boy. Desna nodded his head and retreated back a few steps. The man then held back Ozai.

"And you, do not address my children as 'fools'. Are we clear?" Ozai nodded, and sat back down on the bed. The man then threw him a long, dark blue robe. "Wear this, you will meet at the council room later on."

"We'll plan for the past, in the present." The man smiled devilishly, and walked out of the room with his children. Ozai wondered at what the man could be planning, and how he could fit into all this. Nevertheless, being out of the prison was good, but the Fire Nation was something he needed to forget.

"ARGH!" Ozai kicked a table to the walls, with frustration and anger. If he had his way, he would have burned down his son's face and his treacherous brother's too. But it was too late, he's too far from anything. He might as well play along.

Perhaps power favors the cunning.

* * *

There was a knock on the door. Aang quickly ran up to the door and opened it. It was Korra.

Well, not Korra to everyone but to Aang. To everyone else, it was just a strange girl, clad in water-tribe clothings, with a confidence and striking pose. Eyes filled with compassion and determination, and... a polar-bear dog lying outside the room.

"Well, I didn't know Omashu looked like this. It looks just like in the books!" Korra said, and Sokka stood up.

"Who are you?" Sokka then bent down and inspected Korra's shoes. "Your shoes look... authentic." He then looked at the clothes she was wearing. "It looks... Southern! I thought there were no big girls? And... I've never seen your face before! I know everyone, trust me. So who are you!" Sokka pointed at Korra, which made her step back.

"Woah there... Uh, I think you're... Sokka?" Korra smiled awkwardly, and pushed Sokka away before looking at everyone else.

"Well, everyone, this is Korra. Korra, this is, well, everyone!" Aang ran into the middle of the group and did a chicken dance. Korra nodded her head and looked around the place.

"We should get acquainted slowly. I don't think your friends can understand that easily." Korra said, and looked at Katara. "Wow, Tenzin's mother was so pretty when she was young."

"Mo-mother?" Katara stared wide-eyed at the weird girl.

"Let me introduce myself to everyone, properly." Aang nodded his head, and told everyone to brace themselves.

"My name is Korra, and I am the Avatar after Aang."

"Mother? What are you saying?"

"She means this. Korra, it's time to introduce yourself fully." Aang said and gestured for Korra to continue. Korra took in a deep breath.

"My name is Korra. I am the Avatar after Aang."

* * *

The moon is now three-quarters full, and the gibbous moon hangs high on the sky. The man looked at the vast ocean, its waves crashing against the icebergs and the city's ice walls. He looked far, and wondered about the Southern Water Tribe, with its strange cultures and beliefs unlike the North. He turned around.

"Ozai. What brings you here? Care to join me for some stargazing?"

"You keep looking at the moon, what's so important 'bout it?" Ozai said, and gazed out of the balcony.

"The moon signifies my strength, and the coming of a new era."

"New... era?" Ozai asked. He was wary of the man and his ambitions, and still doubted about his abilities to give him back his bending. That man is not the Avatar, so how could he possibly do that?

"An era where you and I, will rule. An era, where _our _subjects will be loyal. An era, where darkness reigns."

"How interesting." Ozai said. "And what about my bending?"

"I was hoping you'd ask that." The man walked up and down the balcony. "You see, the world has yin and yang. That is how our moon 'functions', with the spirits Tui and La both pushing and pulling the tides respectively. But have you ever wondered, how the Avatar actually _has _the Avatar state?"

Ozai mouthed the word 'no'.

"The world has two, big spirits. Raava and Vaatu. Raava, the _good _spirit, grants the Avatar state. Vaatu was imprisoned by the first Avatar. When Winter Solstice arrives, Harmonic Convergence will occur. For that, we require the opening of both Spirit Portals at the North and South Pole." The man walked up to Ozai and looked at him.

Ozai looked up. "How do we open the Portals? We'll need the Avatar!"

"Not when you sacrifice a good _few _spirits." The man walked away. "And that's when you come in."

"You're a crafty, slimy old bastard, you know that Unalaq?" Ozai laughed evilly, and stood up. He walked back to the palace, thinking of his next course of action. He now knows what to do. He now knows how he could obtain power. Unalaq was crafty and quick-witted, but he was domineering and cunning. He could outmatch him if he can, at the right time.

He knows when to strike.


	15. Spirits

"What?!" Sokka fell on the floor.

Suki, who was serving some bowls of beef stew, fumbled and poured some of the beef stew on the table. Toph jumped away, and wiped off the stew from her legs.

"I don't understand! But... how?" Suki said, eyes filled with shock and confusion.

Aang smiled and asked them to calm down. Katara wanted to say something, but Sokka regained composure and quickly said that this was not possible and no matter how powerful the Avatar is this is not possible.

"By the way, Toph. You're Toph... Beifong right? Toph Beifong?" Korra said.

"Yea, what about it?"

"You'll see." Korra turned around and asked everyone to sit down for her to recount her story. "See, I can bend time and -"

"Bend WHAT?!" Sokka exclaimed, and promptly fainted (or maybe not). Suki tried to wake him up, but Sokka was overwhelmed with shock. Katara then said, "I'm sure there's a logical explanation to this."

"There is! I can bend time!" Korra said, before Aang promptly nodded his head and agreed. Katara knitted her eyebrows in displeasure and distaste: this is all too weird for her. Nevertheless, Suki dragged Sokka to the gathering group and Toph stood up to walk to the group. Aang then continued.

"Listen, something really bad happened here, and I don't know what." Aang said, and swallowed. He then continued. "Even I don't know what happened. But Korra has plan."

Sokka then woke up and said, "What plan? Like, are we going to go to the _future _and do something?"

"You're right, Sokka! Wow, you're such a genius!" Aang said and patted Sokka at the back.

"I wish I wasn't right all the time." Sokka said with regret.

"So, are Mako and Bolin coming?" Aang asked Korra, and Toph started to ask, "Who's Mako? Who's Bolin? What kind of name is _Bolin_?"

"I asked them to stay put, and they will be heading to the Southern Water Tribe to attend the Glacier Spirits Festival." Korra said.

"Glacier Spirits Festival? Wow, it had actually materialised? I can't wait to attend the first Glacier Spirits Festival!" Katara said. "The Glacier Spirits Festival was my idea, a Festival on the Winter Solstice to bring both water tribes together."

"Well, it isn't the first, but the seventieth. We're going to my time, and going to the festival at my time." Korra smiled at Katara, and stood up. She gestured for everyone to follow her and told everyone to prepare for a long journey.

Korra opened the door and the Gaang walked out of the inn.

"What about Zuko and Iroh? We need them too. They're part of the team." Aang said.

"Don't worry. I've sent a... what's that? A letter bird?" Korra said, before Sokka corrected her, saying it was 'messenger hawk' and Korra said 'ya, that'. "The... messenger hawk, will reach Zuko and Iroh soon enough. They will meet outside the palace with me, before I go to them and pick them up."

"Great. Let's get a move on." Toph said excitedly. "Finally something's happening!"

"Get ready your buckets, people!" Korra said as she started to move her arms in a slow, Taichi fashion.

"Why _buckets_?" Sokka asked.

Korra moved her arms in a large circular manner, her right hand above and her left hand below, and her palms outstretched and fingers straight. A green light appeared on her palms, and both green light merged and formed a large circular outline. The green light started to shoot out small sparks and bolts, and the center of the circle quickly became opaque. The circle quickly became a greenish whirlpool.

"For the vomit of course! Jump in!" Korra said, and Aang led Katara and Toph into the whirlpool.

"I'm not sure... Can Appa fit into that?" Sokka said.

"Didn't you notice Appa and my polar-bear dog aren't here anymore? They've jumped in another one a long time ago. Jump in, sissy!" Korra laughed and jumped through the whirlpool. While Sokka was doubting about it, and kept saying that it was too dangerous, Suki grabbed his hand.

"I'm here, what's there to worry?" Suki kissed Sokka's cheeks, and together they leapt into the whirlpool. It promptly closes and exploded in a colorful light display.

* * *

"The Avatar and his friends have arrived, Unalaq. Your time has come, this is the beginning..."

"...Of the end."

* * *

"Woahhhhhhhh!"

"Help me! Don't let go Aang!" Toph screamed and Katara held onto to Aang's back tightly. Above them was Korra sliding down, and Sokka busy screaming away beside the calm Suki.

Aang first felt ground, and he fell on hard ice. Toph then started to stand, but promptly went back to hug Aang tightly, saying that she was too blind to move.

"There's no such thing as 'too' blind, Toph." Katara said, and Aang blushed briefly.

"Shut it, sugar-queen. Help me find some rock or ground. I can't see anything!"

"There's only ice and water around here, Toph. Quit yelling." Katara said, and started to freeze the ice around it to create a bigger platform for the others to land. Korra promptly appeared and rolled on the ice and stood up. Sokka screamed before landing on the ice, and kept screaming. Suki helped Sokka up and told him that he could open his eyes.

"I enjoy hearing your girly scream, Sokka." Toph said.

"That's Suki!" Suki punched Sokka in the arm and said, "Hey!". Then Sokka looked around the area.

"Where are we?"

"I'm sorry about this, I haven't mastered the _location-spell _that well. So we're in the middle of the ocean, somewhere near the Southern Water Tribe." Korra said, and started to bend the waters around the iceberg. Katara followed suit, and the iceberg started moving. "Head south from me. Let's go."

The iceberg moved quickly, and the two waterbenders made quick of their bending, and the iceberg moved like a speedboat. Aang then asked where was Appa. "At home!" Korra smiled and kept bending. Aang then decided to help and propelled the iceberg even faster with his bending and the iceberg moved so quickly that Sokka almost lost balance and fall to the sea before Suki grabbed him.

"Ahoy, sailors! This is Captain Aang speaking! We have reached land!"

"There are so many lights, this is beautiful." Katara said.

"Apparently I also _kind of _travelled into the future by a few days. So... the Winter Solstice is coming soon!"

The iceberg stopped by a wooden jetty, and the team got out. They quickly walked into the town, where there were many workers busy hanging up the lights. Shopkeepers were busy cleaning and maintaining their stores in good shape, and the game stores were busy putting down their prize toys. "Wow, I can't imagine how the Festival would be like." Katara said, her eyes glistening with astonishment.

"It would be dreary and displeasing."

"What? Who are you?" Katara and the team spun around to see a man, accompanied by twins. The man smiled and bowed, and the twins did the same, bowing even lower. They returned to their confident postures and the man outstretched his hand.

"My name is Unalaq, and I am from the Northern Water Tribe. These are my twin children, Desna and Eska."

"Psst, which is female one?" Sokka whispered to Suki, before Eska hissed at Sokka. Sokka quickly ran behind Suki and Suki shielded Sokka from the hissing girl.

"I believe the Avatar's friends would like to attend the Glacier Spirits Festival Opening Ceremony? It starts soon." Unalaq gestured for the team to follow him, and Korra whispered to Katara, "I've always never liked those twins. They creep me out." Katara agreed by nodding her head.

There was a commotion going on, and a crowd had gathered in front of a platform, where there was a bearded man speaking to them.

"...Festivities and celebrations. Today we will celebrate the Glacier Spirits Festival!" The crowd cheered and the whole city was lit up. The crowd quickly dispersed to visit the shops and the man walked down the platform.

"Interesting speech, brother." Unalaq said, and the man turned away to greet Korra.

"Korra!" Korra and the man embraced. "Who are these people? Are they your friends?"

Korra instantly turned a slight shade of red, not knowing what to say. She then says she will explain later on, and the man turns to look at Unalaq.

"Welcome to our humble city, brother. Please, enjoy yourself." The man said slowly.

"Why, Tonraq, save the politeness and greetings! We don't need that!" Unalaq laughed heartily before quickly returning to his emotionless face, then he turned to Korra.

"Come, let me give you a tour of the festival. And your friends..." He turned to look at Aang, who was digging his nose. "...can come along too. Let's go."

They walked around, and they saw many shops. An aroma filled the air, and it wafted in Sokka's nose. Sokka instantly became piped with energy, and he ran to one of the stores to purchase their shrimp-on-sticks. As he munched on the shrimps, Suki shook her head with disapproval. Katara was busy playing a water-cannon shooutout, and her superior waterbending skills allowed her to knock off every single can off the shelf. She laughed and grabbed the toy, which was a sky bison.

"This festival has degraded into a shallow and insignificant gathering of greed, sloth, lust and gluttony." Unalaq continued, with much distaste audible in his voice.

"The festival is for people to enjoy and have fun. Can't you Northern people have a bit fun?" Tonraq protested.

"There used to be traditions! To appease the spirits. There would be Northern Lights, and Southern Lights. Those, are the spirits dancing in the sky, beautiful and amazing. Now, the spirits are displeased. We have forgotten them." Unalaq walked up the road and shook his head with much disappointment.

"What spirits? How can spirits do anything to us anyway?" Sokka said.

"Spirits, are much more powerful than everyone. The Winter Solstice is coming and there's a problem."

"What problem?" Korra and Aang said in unison.

"Perhaps Avatar Korra could help." He then turned to Tonraq. "Brother, I would now instruct your daughter on the spirits and the Spirit World. Her previous mentor, Tenzin -" He looked at Tenzin at the jetty, help his children down the brig and his wife to climb the stairs down. "-will not have any business in her teachings anymore. I teach Korra more than him."

"Really? That's great!" Korra cheered. Then Tonraq protested. "No! You will not be her teacher! She is not ready yet. Tenzin is a capable teacher and I'm sure he can teach well."

"No, father. It's time for a change. Tenzin hasn't taught me anything but airbending, meditating and how to babysit." Korra huffed.

"I heard something about me!" Tenzin ran up, then looked briefly at Sokka, Toph, Suki and Katara. Aang smiled at Tenzin and said 'Hi', then Tenzin continued. "No, I will continue to teach her. Unalaq, do not test me."

"Tenzin, calm yourself. I can -" Before Unalaq finished his sentence, he quickly fell down. Screams and shrieks emerged from the festival as a large, bug-eyed spirit standing on its legs was busy destroying the festival shops and lighting. Korra walked closer to look at the looming giant spirit.

"What's that?"

"A displeased spirit." Unalaq said. Tonraq then ordered the soldiers to gather everyone and evacuate, then Aang spoke to Korra.

"I know how to appease spirits! The Avatar is the great bridge between - never mind." Aang looked up at the spirit. "I can do this."

"You can't reveal yourself now. Who knows how everyone will react!" Korra then lifted some water from the sea, and froze it. She then shot it in the form of ice spikes at the spirit, and the spirit was hit by the spikes.

The spikes lodged into the spirit, but the spikes quickly melted into water. It looked at Korra, and hissed loudly. A large tentacle extended from its back hit Korra, and swung her away to an ice dune. Sokka and Suki quickly ran off to grab Toph away, and Katara assumed her stance.

With some wrist moving, Katara lifted a lot of water from the sea and created a giant wave. It hit the spirit, but the spirit seemed unscathed. It extended his hand and slapped Katara away, then it walked towards Aang. Aang opened her glider and flew away, but the spirit was faster. It opened its mouth, and let loose a volley of green and black projectiles. Aang dodged them quickly before landing to help Katara up. Korra was already up and she gave a roundhouse kick in the air to let loose a volley of flames.

The spirit dodged it, and it hit into some lamp posts. The lamp posts fell on the ground, and Tonraq jumped out of the way. Tenzin created a fearsome gale, but the spirit was determined. Tenzin was flicked away by its tentacle and it advanced to Korra.

Korra punched the air quickly. The non-stop punches created large blasts of fire, but the spirit absorbed the hit like it was nothing. Then the spirit stopped.

There was glow in the spirits eyes, and slowly, its dark appearance started to turn a bright white-gold. White-gold streaks surround it, and it faded away into nothing. Everyone turned to look at Unalaq.

"You saved us." Katara said.

"How did you -" Korra and Aang said in unison.

"I know more of the Spirit World than Tenzin does." This made Tenzin stand up and cross his arm in protest. Unalaq then walked up to Korra. "So, do you want me to be your teacher, Avatar Korra?"

"Sure!" Korra said quickly, and jumped beside Unalaq.

"No! Korra, don't do this." Tenzin said, his head shaking in disapproval.

"I'm sorry, _Tenzin_. But your teachings are ineffective and useless. You've taught me nothing!" Korra said.

"Your father locked you up, away from the spirits. It was his and Tenzin's idea for you to learn in seclusion. But you know few things of the spirit world, don't you?"

"Father, Tenzin? How could you - how -" Korra turned away. She then told the Gaang to follow her to the Northern Water Tribe and rest and walked away with Unalaq.

Tonraq shouted "No! Come back!" and Tenzin walked back to his children. Avatar Korra has no regrets.

What could go wrong with having a new teacher anyway?

* * *

"Avatar Korra and Avatar Aang have been played right into my hands, Ozai." Unalaq said, smiling slyly at the man sipping his soup.

"Then it's up to the Solstice then."


	16. Succeeding Plans

Korra ran. A large wave of water descended on her, and it swept her away. She hit her tree on her back, and she slid down in pain.

"You are no match for me!" Korra looked up at the man. He was crazy and delusional, and he had no qualms about killing Korra. "Fight me, filthy Avatar!" He created another large wave again, and flung it at Korra. Korra quickly jumped up and pulled up a wall of earth which protected her. Aang promptly flew down.

"I'll help!"  
"Thank you."

Aang then flung the earth wall at the man, but the man dodged it. He was in a giant waterspout, and Aang could not beat him. Aang promptly entered the Avatar state, and he created a giant tornado for him to ride on. Korra watched Aang rise to the air but suddenly, he fell. Korra felt a sharp pain in her chest as she watched Aang's lifeless body hit the ground with a thud.

The man laughed. "I will not kill you, Korra. Aang's death with ultimately be yours!" The sky turned dark as the man flew up to the sky and vanished. Korra crawled to Aang's body.

There was no pulse.

* * *

Korra laughed as she drank her soup. Unalaq was hosting a celebratory feast for Korra and her friends, much to the disapproval of Tonraq. Despite that Korra abandoned them, she asked Tenzin and Tonraq to come along. Tenzin declined, saying he was going to take a vacation since Korra was not under him anymore. Tonraq fiercely agreed, and was eyeing Unalaq.

Despite his suspicions, it was not proven. Unalaq seemed like a helpful and thoughtful man, trusting Korra and giving her lessons on the spirits. Korra looked at Unalaq and turned away, her eyes filled with worry. She recounted the meeting with Unalaq before the feast.

_"Avatar Korra, I would like you to help restore balance to both of our tribes. And there's only one way." Unalaq had said, his voice pleading.  
"How?"  
"The spirits are angry at the Southern Tribe for abandoning them, and are attacking them. To restore balance to the world, you need to open the spirit portal at the North Pole. The South Pole portal has already been... pried open."  
"But how do I do that, Unalaq? I can't!"  
"You can. And you must."  
"I won't do something so dangerous, what will happen if I open it? Spirits might leave the Spirit World through the portal and attack us instead!"  
"If you won't do it, there's no other way then. I must persuade you in another way." Unalaq had smiled slyly, and gestured for Korra to follow him outside to start the feast._

Then Unalaq raised up his cup. "This day, our sister tribe has abandoned traditions so important to our tribe, but no more! For Avatar Korra has brought change with her! Avatar Korra will be our savior! She will rebuild the bond between both tribes, and she has a plan!" Korra looked at Unalaq, and whispered, "What are you doing?"

Unalaq merely smiled and continued. "She will open the spirit portal at the North Pole and restore balance to the world, much like Aang did when he defeated _the Firelord._"

Everyone rejoiced at the fact, but one man, who was sitting beside Unalaq on the right slammed his cup on the table. No one heard it and saw it, but Unalaq knew how he felt. He grinned.

"Tomorrow, Avatar Korra will set off for the Spirit Portal, and open it! It must be opened before the Winter Solstice, or balance will be lost. But Avatar Korra never loses! She always wins!" The people started to cheer, and Aang looked at the Korra puzzledly, and Korra mouthed 'I-don't-know' to Aang.

Korra then looked at Unalaq with slight distrust. She suddenly remembered her father's disapproval, and suddenly a slight feeling of fear crept into her heart. She did not know why Unalaq kept persisting on his plans to open the portal, and why she needs to do it. Nevertheless, she felt the need to because the people wanted her to do it.

The feast ended, and Korra then asked Unalaq for a short talk.

"What is it, Avatar?"

"I want my friends to come along. Av - I mean, everyone there." Korra said, before biting her tongue as she almost said 'Avatar Aang'.

"Very well, make sure they do not hinder us." Unalaq said. "I want them to be safe too."

Korra nodded her head, and walked out of the palace to tell her friends about the trip to the North Pole.

* * *

"How very exciting, we're going to WHERE?!" Sokka said, and crossed his arms. He shook his head and said that he was too tired for that.

"Or perhaps you're too scared, brother?" Katara chided, and Sokka turned away to sharpen his boomerang on a grindstone. Suki then agreed, which caused Sokka to agree immediately. Aang flew down from the sky and landed in front of Korra.

"Aang! How many times have I told you not to use your glider!" Korra said.  
"Oops."

"Where are you friends Mako and Bolin?" Aang said.

"I'm not sure too. They're supposed to arrive here a few days ago, but there are no signs of them anyway. I suppose something happened back home and they delayed their course. They'll come eventually." Korra then fed some meat to her polar-bear dog, and Aang fed some hay to Appa.

Toph then said, "If there's more ice there, I'm not going. I'm staying here on my tiny, piece of rock." Toph was busy balancing on a small flat square piece of granite.

"Relax, Toph. There's more rock there than ice." Korra then told everyone they're setting off soon, and Mako and Bolin will have to wait for them to return.

"Let's go then."

* * *

"Pretty much everything you've done worked, Unalaq." Ozai said.  
"I'd like to thank you for your compliment. Seeing that boy makes you seethe with anger, no?"

Ozai turned away. He was furious at himself, for failing to defeat the Avatar, and he can never be Phoenix King. He wanted the Avatar to go down so bad, he would do anything.

"Tail those fools. Be discreet. I will be with them, but when I need you, it will be visible." Unalaq turned away and walked out of the bedroom.

"You will be ruler once more, Ozai."  
"What about you, Unalaq?"  
"The equivalent of the Avatar."


	17. The Northern Portal

A blizzard loomed far away. Dark clouds swirled in the sky, occasionally striking green streaks of lightning onto the land. A strong wind started to brew, and the procession could not continue. Unalaq told everyone to gather under a cave near their destination, and everyone started to set up camp. The weather was too dangerous to continue walking on.

"I told you we shouldn't have came!" Sokka cried. Katara told him to keep quiet, and they continued unpacking their supplies. After they pitched their tents, they put up the tarp and they were ready to sleep in. Well, Sokka was, and he immediately went in to sleep. The rest of them gathered around a fireplace that Unalaq had built, and sat down.

"This is a dangerous adventure into the center, but only the Avatar can go through." Unalaq said.  
"Only me? What about my friends?"  
"They'll stay here and guard the camp. I will guide you to the entrance, but you have to open the portal yourself."  
"And how do I do that?"  
"You'll figure out."

Korra was not so sure. She never figured out things easily, but her friends were looking at her, nodding their heads to build confidence in Korra. She felt much more reassured now. Shes the Avatar, she can do anything!

"When do I set off?" Korra said. "When's the Winter Solstice?"  
"Let me see." Unalaq took out a large piece of paper. He studied the paper, apparently trying to come up with something. Then Unalaq put down the paper and sighed.

"Apparently, we strayed off my planned schedule. The Winter Solstice is tomorrow."

* * *

"So I have to open it today?" Korra said.  
"You have to!" Unalaq sighed. And told everyone to follow him. They got on the snow camels, and the camels slowly made their way through the blizzard. Hail and snow fell from the sky in large amounts, and buried the camels' hoofs. They struggled, but they made it near the place.

"Look at that sight." Katara said in astonishment.  
"How beautiful!" Toph replied.  
"I agree! Wait, you can't see, right?" Katara said, before Toph went back to a camel and sat down beside it.

"What about my sky bison, Unalaq? Will they be okay if we leave then at camp?" Aang said, and Korra asked about her polar-bear dog.  
"No matter who we bring, no one can enter this sacred place except for Avatar Korra. Sadly, it is so." Unalaq put a hand on Korra's shoulders. "I trust you. You are a wise and intelligent young woman, you will do it." Korra nodded her head, and slid down the cliff.

The sight before them was majestic but sad. There were many trees, tall and proud, but all of them bearing few leaves and fruits. Lightning kept striking the center, and snow buried the trees up till a quarter of the tree trunks. There were flashing lights of different colors, and Korra stood there to admire the sight for a while. Then, she ran into the forest, out of sight.

Unalaq turned around to look at Desna and Eska. The twins retreated a few steps back, and one of them took out a horn. Aang loooked at them, and thought they were going back to camp. Katara then asked Toph to move, and Suki climbed a camel.

"I'm sorry, Avatar Aang, but I have plans for both of the Avatars that only your demise can complete." Unalaq laughed and quickly froze Aang completely in ice, before tying his hands and legs up with chains. Katara tried to fight back and ran up a hill. She moved her arms, and flung large amounts of ice spikes at Eska. Eska stood there and flung the ice spikes back at Katara, who jumped out of the way into Desna. Desna quickly tied her up in chains and kicked her down onto the floor.

Suki and Toph were not easily beaten down. As Toph tried to fling rocks at Suki's command, Unalaq dodged them quickly. With a flick of his wrist, the ice from the ground rose up to Toph and Suki, and froze their hands and legs. Toph protested, and tried to yell for Korra, but Unalaq knocked her out.

"That was easy." Unalaq turned around, and a man came sliding down a cliff.  
"Keep them at the camp. When Avatar Korra opens the portal and returns, it will be her turn."

_Aang! Can you go into your Avatar State? _Katara whispered.  
_Something's stopping me from entering! I don't know! _Aang whispered back, and Katara sighed.

The man moved to Katara and Aang, and put them over his shoulders. Then Aang started to shout. "You're Ozai! Firelord Ozai! How did you?"  
"Unalaq." Ozai smiled, and knocked both of them out with a slam of his head. He slowly made his way to a camel, and it walked back to camp. Toph and Suki were both knocked out too, and Desna and Eska transported them back to camp on the camels.

"When Korra returns, she will realise that Tenzin was in fact a better mentor after all." Unalaq smiled.

* * *

"Hello! Anyone?" Korra called. No one replied, because there is no one in this place.

Long, dark spirits crawl up the trees, avoiding Avatar Korra. She felt an eerie presence, and suddenly a large spirit came from behind and shot a large beam of light from its mouth. Korra avoided the beam, and waterbent ice to stop the spirit from advancing. She ran further into the center, but she kept returning to the same spot, and the Spirit melted the ice with its beam. The spirit grew larger as more spirits merged with it, and it opened its mouth to swallow Korra. Korra bent an earth wall, and pulled it large enough to stop the spirit from moving again.

The spirit barged through the earth wall, and flicked Korra away. Korra flew across the ice and hit a trees. Then she turned around, and saw a large ice wall. She touched the ice wall, and bent a large hole for her to enter. She closed up the ice wall, and the Spirit did not advance further. Something made the spirit not want to enter.

She looked at the center of the hexagonal ice structure. There was intense and glowing ball of light under an ice floor, and Korra knew it was the portal. Then she made a giant flame blast, and continuously concentrated it on the ice floor. The ice did not melt, and Korra thought it was weird.

One hand shooting fire and another shooting water, she continued to blast the ice. There was no sign of melting or damage, and the place grew a bit more darker.

She turned around and saw many large spirit worms were crawling on the spirit walls. _Oh no_. She intensified her blasts, but there was no effect! She started to panic, and saw that the ice walls were breaking down. More spirits poured in and grabbed her, this time flinging her upwards. As she plummeted down, she avoided the spirits with an airbending scooter. She leapt by the side, and blasted fire at the spirits. The spirits dispersed, and merged together to form the same giant spirit that hunted her.

The spirit started to wrap her around a tentacle and it jumped up, out of the place. But the Korra tried to push the spirit downwards. She wanted to touch the portal, thinking maybe it would open.

There was struggle. The spirit tried to move upwards, but Korra made a giant fire blast from her legs to propel her forward. The hand broke, and the spirit howled in pain.

Korra fell down, and the portal started to glow. She touched the portal with her finger, and the spirit instantly disintegrated into nothing. There was sharp glow of light as spirits started to pour through the portal. An aurora appeared in the sky, and Unalaq knew she had done it.

Korra felt very tired, and Unalaq quickly made his way into the forest. He helped Korra up, and told Korra that he was thankful of Korra. Korra smiled weakly, and felt faint.

Unalaq then said, "It's not done yet."  
"What's left?"  
"Harmonic Convergence! We need to release Vaatu from his prison and allow him to roam the Spirit World."

Korra then stood up. "Vaatu? Isn't he an evil spirit?"  
"Not when the Avatar exists. When you are around, Vaatu is merely your counterpart. Like yin and yang, like push and pull. They are the same." Unalaq patted Korra on the back, and helped her through the portal.

"Wow. What is this place?"  
"This is where Harmonic Convergence will occur. Where Raava and Vaatu with fight to maintain balance in the world. You will fight Vaatu, and win the battle. Once you do that, the world will be restored to balance!" Unalaq said, and they appeared in front of Vaatu's prison. Vaatu squirmed at the sight of Unalaq, and spoke.

"Avatar Korra. How pleasant to meet you. Release me. When Harmonic Convergence occurs, I will fight you, and win you."  
"You can't win me, Vaatu. I am the Avatar, and I will defeat you." Korra said, and looked at Unalaq.

"The Winter Solstice, it starts now." Both portals, whose light from the hole below shoot up to the sky, started to move. The planets of the world aligned together, and the portals bent to form a circular arch. They hit each other, and the sudden outburst of spiritual energy caused Vaatu to shriek and thrash around its prison. The wall that was preventing it from leaving started to expand, then it exploded.

Korra was flung back a distance, but Unalaq stood the unfazed. Vaatu slowly walked down the tree he was in.

"It was rather boring in there, Unalaq."  
"Unalaq? How -" Korra then tried to get up.

"Our plan can proceed. Merge with me now, Vaatu. The era of darkness has come."  
"Unalaq! What are you doing?! You never told me anything about this!?"

"When the time comes, I will destroy your friend Aang. And you will too." Vaatu and Unalaq both danced in a kind of tango, and Unalaq broke out from the dance and stood still on the ground. Vaatu then flew up high, and came flying down to Unalaq.

Korra stood up, and bent a large waterspout and sent it flying to Unalaq. Unalaq was hit by the waterspout and flew a distance away, and Vaatu looked at Korra. "Insolent. I will teach you fear!" Vaatu came flying to Korra.

Harmonic Convergence has just begun.


	18. Harmonic Convergence

"When the first Avatar imprisoned me in the Tree of Time, I longed to to be free!" Vaatu spun around and swept Korra off her feet with its tail. Korra did a backflip, and did a roundhouse kick to fire a volley of flames. Vaatu howled in anger.

"I'm free now, Raava. It's time for you to lose!" Vaatu flew up into the sky looked at Korra. A large green beam emerged from its body and burned the ground below. Korra covered herself in earth, forming an armor to withstand the beam. She breathed in deeply and fired the rocks at Vaatu who merely flew further away.

Korra shot up to the sky while on the top of a waterspout, and concentrated a lot of water against Vaatu. Vaatu avoided some of the water, but a large wave came tumbling down at it and it started to howl again. Vaatu shot a large beam at Korra again.

Korra was hurled off her waterspout, and landed on a large rock. Korra cried in pain, and tried to stand up. Vaatu loomed in front of Korra. "Stand up, Raava. It is not over!" With that taunt, Korra did a windmill on the ground, and spun up with flames shooting out her feet. Once Korra got up, she pumped water at Vaatu. Vaatu was however, ready. It flew up to the sky and appeared behind Korra.

Korra kicked the large boulder she landed on to Vaatu and it almost hit it. Vaatu hit Korra with its tail and hurled her a distance away, but Korra quickly stood up and regained her stance.

"Show me your best, Raava!" Vaatu extended all its tails to hit the ground. Korra avoided all the tails which lodged into the ground, and jumped up into the air. She created large flame whips and tore one of the tails. Vaatu cried in displeasure, and its tails quickly healed. Korra landed on the ground, doing a forward roll before firing more flames.

Vaatu was faster, and fired a beam at Korra. Korra avoided the beam and shot Vaatu with a concentrated and continuous blast of fire. She expanded the blast to a large rectangular beam and Vaatu met it with its beam.

"Harngh!" Korra bent some of the rocks to anchor herself onto the ground to stop herself from going backwards. Vaatu was stronger, and its beam started to push Korra's flame backwards. Then Korra's eyes glowed.

Korra then remembered that she could bend time. She exited the Avatar state, wondering how she was able to, since she had mastered time-bending. _Maybe I didn't, _she thought. She rolled to left and Vaatu's beam hit the ground behind her, ripping the rocks off the ground. With slow hand movements, she created green beams from her hand.

"Time bending?" Vaatu said, and it cocked to the left, pondering. Then Vaatu started to laugh.  
"You'll still lose, Raava. It is not enough to even hurt me!" Vaatu shot a beam into the sky and concentrated the beam.

Korra continued her slow, _taichi _movements. She created large swirls of green light around Vaatu and Vaatu took notice.

"What are you - doi - ng?" Vaatu turned around very slowly.  
"I can't defeat you when you're quick, but I can when you're slow!"

The large swirls of green light collided with each other, and encased Vaatu in a large circular prism. Korra smiled, and let go. The prism stabilised and Vaatu tried to squirm out of the prism. Vaatu thrashed around, and Korra started to minimize the prism. Vaatu panicked, but it knew it would be saved.

"Ah!" Korra cried in pain and flew a distance backwards. The prism lost its stability, and started to dissolve. Unalaq had woken up from his concussion and had thrown Korra away with a pump of water. Unalaq then froze Korra in a block of ice. Korra tried to melt the ice, but she was exhausted from her time-bending. She could not do anything.

Unalaq then stood there and looked up at Vaatu, who escaped from the prism.

"Fuse with me, Vaatu! 10,000 years of darkness will now cover the world!" Unalaq laughed and Vaatu flew up to the sky.

* * *

Aang and Katara were thrown on the ground near the campfire. Toph and Suki were tied up around a large post of wood. Desna and Eska then went out of the campsite and talked to Ozai, who was smiling and nodding his head in pleasure.

Toph then woke up, groggy feeling. Toph felt chains around her hands, and knew it was metal. However, she knew she couldn't bend it without her hands touching it, and her legs were chained to another wooden post too. She sighed. Then she had an idea.

"Sokka! Sokka's still sleeping! They forgotten about Sokka!" Toph whispered to the awaken Suki, sulking in anger.  
"That's right!" Suki looked at Desna and Eska, who have left the campsite with Ozai.

Toph then told this Katara, who bent some snow with her tied hands. She hurled the snow into the tent where Sokka was in, which woke him up. Sokka woke up startled and started to rant. As he climbed out of the tent, he grumbled miserably. "That's a very childish joke, guys. You guys shouldn't wait what the -" Sokka looked at Toph and Suki, tied up and the chained Aang and Katara.

"Now shut up, bonehead and untie us!" Toph said.  
"Hold on a second!"

Sokka felt the chains around Suki and Toph, and found the knot. He untied the knot, and Toph bent down to her feet. She squished the metal and flung the chain away before doing the same to Suki. Toph then went to Aang and Katara and removed the chains as well. Aang then stood up and located his glider. He took the glider and gathered around the team.

"Okay, you guys stay here and hide in the tents. Once the twins and Ozai return, you guys capture them."  
"Ozai?! He's here?! I thought we would never be seeing him again!" Sokka cried out before Toph asked him to shut up. Sokka nodded his head slowly.

Katara agreed, and they hid in their tents. "What about you Aang?" She said before entering one.  
"Korra needs my help." Aang opened his glider and flew into the air towards the forest, glowing with light.

* * *

The ice was melting, and Korra was breathing fire from her mouth. Slowly, the block of ice collapsed and she the her wrists together. She breathed in deeply, and moved her hands behind her with her right leg up like a flamingo. She put down her leg and a giant flame emerged from her hands, this time hitting Vaatu instead as it jumped to Unalaq and protected him.

"How determined, Raava!" Vaatu taunted. Korra moved her hands around her in a graceful manner, and water from the small creeks rose up to the air.

"I will not allow you or Unalaq to proceed with your plan! I will destroy you!" Korra let out a battle cry and shot the water at Vaatu, who met the water with a large beam. Korra was hit by the beam and she was thrown onto the ground. She coughed, and blood spurted from her mouth onto the ground. She was hurt, very badly.

As Vaatu was ready to fire another beam, and large burst of air flung Vaatu away. Unalaq and Korra looked up to see Aang flying down from the sky.

"You will not hurt my friends! You can't stand against _two _Avatars!" Aang readied his staff and pointed it at Vaatu, who laughed.  
"How amusing! Two Avatars for me to destroy! Raava, how do you feel being split?" Vaatu grew larger, and its body became larger.

"Why is he growing bigger?" Korra said to Aang. Aang shrugged.

"When both of the Avatars appear, Raava becomes split into two! She does not duplicate, Avatars. And as she splits, she grows weaker! And when she grows weaker I grow STRONGER!" With that, Vaatu shot out all its tails at them. Aang promptly entered the Avatar state, and covered himself with a giant air ball. Rocks, water and fire orbit him, and he fires the rocks at Vaatu faster than the speed of sound.

Vaatu met the rocks with its beam, but it was hit with one of the rocks and he howled in pain. Vaatu then hit Aang with more of its tails, but Aang tore through them with his flames, but Unalaq had stood up and shot him with ice spikes. One of them pierced through the air ball and lodged into his legs, which got him out of the Avatar state.

Aang landed on the ground, and cried out in pain. Aang pulled out the spike and blood flowed from the wound. The sudden exit from the Avatar state gave Aang a large shock, and energy was sapped from his body as Vaatu grew even larger. Vaatu then laughed once more.

"I didn't know that Avatars are weak. Disappointing." Vaatu shot more beams at the Avatars, and it hurled them out of the place as they fly into the portal back to the mortal world.

"As there is Raava in them, there will be Vaatu in me." Unalaq looked up at Vaatu. "Let's not waste anymore time, Vaatu!"  
"Yes, let's not!" Vaatu flew into Unalaq chest, which made Unalaq spew blood from his mouth. Vaatu then rested within Unalaq, and he knelt down to be accustomed to Vaatu's entrance. He coughed out some blood, and then laughed.

"I have done it." He stood up.  
"I am the Dark Avatar."


	19. The Dark Avatar

"Urgh..."

Korra woke up, with a terrible headache forcing her to go back and lie down. She felt very exhausted, but she knew Unalaq must have fused with Vaatu. She felt much more... weaker. Korra turned around to see Aang, hurt and exhausted. Despite their training, there was too much pain for them to withstand. Even a comet-enhanced Firelord Ozai was much more weaker than Vaatu. They were, after all, facing an eternal spirit after all.

Korra stood up slowly, this time determined to destroy him. Aang was still unconscious.

Unalaq suddenly walked out of the portal, smiling. There was a dark glow in his eyes, and she knew. She spat blood on the snow, and a crimson red spot blotched the snow.

"Don't you understand! With Vaatu in you, you will be destroyed! Vaatu is too much for you to handle. Why are you -"  
"Pathetic Avatar." Unalaq said, his voice and Vaatu's together. "I longed for this. An era where I will rule. I am immortal, and I will rule for 10,000 years!" Unalaq laughed, and started to rise up into the sky in a waterspout. Korra ran away, and out of the forest. Unalaq pursued her, and the waterspout tore through the trees.

"Don't run away from me, Korra!"

Korra created a wave from the snow, and surfed forward to speed her escape up. She did not know what to do. She needed Aang, but all she could do now was escape and hope Aang would wake up and help her.

* * *

"Where's everyone else? How did they escape?"

Desna and Eska entered the campsite and looked at the chains on the ground. Suddenly, two rock hands flew from the air and grabbed Desna and Eska backwards. They flew back, and Toph bound their hands in rocks and legs with the metal chains. Katara then walked up to them.

"Your father is going to destroy you! How can you not see it!"  
"My father is the wisest person in the world! How can _you _not see it?" Desna said before Katara slapped him.  
"Maybe he is. But his children are not." Katara sighed and told Toph to knock them out.

"Where's Ozai?" Sokka said.  
"You're too late, you fools. My father has now become much more powerful! Korra will die." Eska said, and this time Toph slapped her. Toph knocked them out by slamming their heads together, and they both went unconscious.

"I'll take care of them." Suki said, and Sokka nodded. Katara then told Toph to follow her to help Korra and Aang. They bid goodbye, wished one another good luck and they quickly ran. But there was no sign of Aang anywhere, but two people on large waterspouts destroying each other.

"Ahhh!" Korra fell onto the ground. Katara and Toph wanted to help, but Korra shook her head violently. Unalaq then laughed.  
"Is this the Avatar I'm facing? Or is this a little girl?" Unalaq then created a giant wave of water.

Korra ran. The large wave of water descended on her, and it swept her away. She hit her tree on her back, and she slid down in pain.

"You are no match for me!" Korra looked up at the man. He was crazy and delusional, and he had no qualms about killing Korra. "Fight me, filthy Avatar!" He created another large wave again, and flung it at Korra. Korra quickly jumped up and pulled up a wall of earth which protected her. Aang promptly flew down.

"I'll help!"  
"Thank you."

Aang then flung the earth wall at the man, but the man dodged it. He was in a giant waterspout, and Aang could not beat him. Aang promptly entered the Avatar state, and he created a giant tornado for him to ride on. Korra watched Aang rise to the air but suddenly, he fell. Korra felt a sharp pain in her chest as she watched Aang's lifeless body hit the ground with a thud.

The man laughed. "I will not kill you, Korra. Aang's death with ultimately be yours!" The sky turned dark as the man flew up to the sky and vanished. Korra crawled to Aang's body.

There was no pulse.

"No!" Katara screamed, and Toph quickly ran to Aang's body. Tears trickled down Katara's cheeks as she felt Aang's heart not beating.

"He's... gone." Toph said sorrowfully. Katara hugged Aang's body, and Korra looked at Toph.  
"Is there any way to revive him?"

"There is." Katara said before choking on her tears.  
"Katara once revived Aang from a fatal lightning wound using some kind of spirit water thing." Toph said, and pondered.  
"Where do we get that water?" Korra said.

"It's in a kind of oasis, with the spirits Tui and La swimming in it. I don't know how we can get there." Katara said.  
"It's here. At the Palace! I know how to get there, but I think we will face a lot of resistance." Korra said. Korra looked at Aang, eyes closed and not breathing. Her chest was also in pain, and she felt a sharp piercing pain in her heart.

"We have something they don't have." Toph said.  
"What?"  
"The twins." Toph smiled, and told them to use the prince and princesses as hostages. Katara nodded, and they moved Aang's body back to the camp. Sokka and Suki both looked at Aang's body with shock.

"He died... AGAIN?" Sokka exclaimed. "This is terrible! I told you we shouldn't have come!"  
"Sokka, not now." Toph said and elbowed him. Sokka nodded his head, and Katara removed the knots of the camel's ropes on the wooden posts. Sokka and Suki hurled the two unconscious hostages onto the camel. The camel grunted as it carried the weight of Suki on it, and the others hopped on Appa. Korra rode on Naga, and nodded her head at the others. They were ready.

"Let's go."

* * *

"I have been waiting a long time, Unalaq." Ozai said, displeased.  
"Don't worry, Ozai. Today I restore you to your former glory. Kneel."

Ozai hesitated, then knelt down. He was not the one who would kneel before another man, but if it means to take back his bending, he will. Unalaq smiled, and put one thumb on Ozai's forehead and one thumb on his chest where the heart was.

"There is no turning back after this, Ozai. You will be loyal to me."  
"What loyal? What, no - I -" Ozai howled as Unalaq concentrated his energy into Ozai. A black beam outlined in purple from the sky entered Unalaq's eyes and mouth, and it flowed through his veins. Unalaq's veins bulged and turned darker, and as the energy flows out of his hands, the veins slowly diminished in size. The energy entered Ozai and he howled again in pain. Ozai's eyes turned black fully, and the beam went out from his mouth.

The beam shot into the sky, manifesting on the clouds. The clouds turned darker and lightning struck on the ground and ocean. Then the beam went downwards, this time orange in color. It entered Ozai's mouth, and his eyes glowed orange. Ozai's veins bulged as the orange energy flowed and coursed through his vessels, and Unalaq let go. Ozai grabbed his head, and laughed.

He stood up, and punched the air. There was a flame, but it was black in color. As he shot the flame, it momentarily turned the area black-and-white.

"Why are my flames black? They're not orange like it used to be?" Ozai said.  
"As the Dark Avatar, dark energy will manifest in you. Your flames will be even stronger than before. As you fuel it with hatred and anger, the dark energy will cause your flames to increase in strength, heat and power a few times." Unalaq put a hand on Ozai's shoulder.  
"What shall we do now, Unalaq?" Ozai asked.  
"Conquering the world under our names."


	20. Desserts

"Oh no." Korra looked at the sight in front. Dozens of soldiers patrol the watchtowers and fortress walls, and there was increased security on the ground level. Ice watchtowers loom ahead, with four guards on top. The walls were higher than the ones at Ba Sing Se, and square holes in the walls show the number of guards going to fire water blasts at intruders.

"Since when did they build that much crazy things?!" Sokka exclaimed before Suki asked him to keep quiet.  
"There is only one other way." Korra said. And stood up. Katara looked up at her.  
"How?"  
"Simple, I time travel with all of you back to the time where there is no fortress, and I get the water."

Then Sokka stood up and said, "Then, why don't you time-travel back to the time when Aang didn't get hurt, and save him from getting hurt? Or maybe you can go back and kill Unalaq before he does all these crazy things! That's a great loophole!"

"You're right, but my degree of time bending is not that high." Korra sighed. "You see, to go back to the past and then do something, I require to enter the Avatar State. I cannot enter the Avatar State now without losing my timebending, and if entered the Avatar State and then used timebending, something drastic will happen!"

"Aang's death is already very drastic! How much worse could it get?" Toph said.  
"It can. If I time-bent while in the Avatar State...The whole world will stop moving except for those who can time bend."

"Now that's pretty drastic." Sokka replied, and then woke up Eska and Desna, who squirmed about in their chains. Their mouths were stuffed with a towel, and Eska spitted out the towel in her mouth.

"You fools! You'll never win my father!" Eska said spitefully and Desna agreed by nodding his head.  
"Can't you see, your father will not be the same anymore, Eska. He's gone completely crazy over power! He's going to be the next Avatar, but this time this Avatar will bring only darkness to the world!" Korra said in reply, and looked at Eska with anger. Eska hesitated before shaking her head. She promptly looked away and sighed.

"Desna. Eska. I can prove it to you. Use your authority, and allow us to enter the Spirit Oasis where Tui and La area. Once you bring us there, I will use the water to heal Aang and the rest." Katara said. Eska then hissed at Katara, before she nodded her head.

"You fools. You'll thank me later on." Katara smiled, and hoisted them up to allow them to stand. They pushed Eska and Desna towards the fortress, and the guards readied themselves at the sight of Korra.

"Stand down, men! These people have took me and my brother as hostage, and you will not attack them! They only want one thing, and will guarantee my safe return." Eska shouted, and one of the guards clad in heavier armor, looked down the wall.

"Your father personally gave orders to not open the walls to any outsider, even the Princess and Prince." He said, stroking his mustache.  
"Then I will personally see to you and your family's demise, General Han!" Eska said furiously and General Han took a step back in shock. He pondered.

"Your position as General will be secured, even if if you go against my Father's command. The Prince and Princess will personally ensure it. General Han, do not test my limited degree of patience." General Han sighed, then ordered the guards to open the walls. The guards hesitated a moment, before opening the walls and bending the ice. The city was inside the wall, and it seemed empty. The Gaang quickly made their way in while pulling the hostages, and the wall closed behind them. General Han watched the Gaang hoist Desna and Eska up onto Naga.

"Which way?" Korra said.  
"Beneath the Palace in the bowels, there is a certain porcelain jar, large enough to hold two men. Carvings of Tui and La are engraved on the porcelain, and by jumping through the jar you will land on solid ground, revealing the oasis." Eska said.  
"Fair enough." Korra then commanded Naga to run, and it started to run. Katara and the others were on Appa, and Sokka made Appa follow Naga. Naga jumped over a ledge, and over a small stream. Appa flew over and landed on the staircases.

"Why isn't there anyone?" Katara said.  
"Probably guarding the place. There were more guards on the walls than citizens in the city." Sokka remarked casually. Naga then sped into the Palace and started to roar loudly.

"Unalaq!" Korra exclaimed and Eska shouted, "Father!"  
"Don't call me by my name, you weakling. I am the _Dark Avatar_, with Vaatu in me, and an associate of equal!" After saying that, a man walked out of the shadows, with his veins bulging and purple. His smile was sly, and his eyes were filled with pure hatred and evil. As he breathed, hot smoke emerged from his nose.

"You can now call me, _Lord of Darkness, Ozai!_" Then Sokka laughed.  
"That's even more stupid than calling you _Lord of the Guys-Who-Don't-Always-Win_, as said by Suki." Suki sulked, and Sokka laughed even harder. Ozai huffed.

"You'll know stupid when I'm finished with you." Ozai said, and Sokka gulped.

Unalaq smiled. "I presume you are heading for the Spirit Oasis?" He looked at Katara, who looked straight into his eyes, taunting him. He then turned to look at Aang's lifeless body, and he grinned. "How sastifying."

"Perhaps, if I were to give you the ability to revive Avatar Aang, you will give me something in return?" Unalaq said, and looked at Korra.  
"Spit it out, Unalaq." Korra said.  
"I give you all the water from the Spirit Oasis, as much as want to revive him. And I want something that you'll not regret having thrown away." Unalaq said slyly.

Katara looked at Aang. She desperately wanted Aang to come back to life, and she remembered how devastated she was when Aang was shot by Azula's lightning. She remembered how she almost came close to break apart, until she found out that the spirit water could do something. She now looked at Aang, and realised that without the water, Aang is dead, forever. He is lost forever.

Korra then said, "So, what do you want?"  
"Have you not noticed your friends...Firelord Zuko and the Dragon of the West... were not picked up?"

Katara looked at Korra. "You didn't pick up Zuko and Iroh?"  
"They weren't there, where I asked them to be." Korra sighed, and looked at Unalaq fiercely. "What did you do to them, you monster!"  
"Not what did I do to them, but what did I _did _to them." Unalaq then breathed in deep breath, before continuing on. "And what about your... delayed meeting with Mako and Bolin?"

"And you never thought of your father, Tonraq, didn't you?"  
Korra's eyes glistened with tears. _No, it can't be_. Korra jumped of Naga, and readied her stance. She was so furious at Unalaq, for him taking away her friends and Aang, and taking away everyone she loved... She can't stand someone being so purely evil. "Where, is, my FATHER?"

"Biding his time, awaiting death to creep to him." Unalaq said, before licking his lips in relish. "And far-away."  
Korra's eyes started to glow, and she wanted to blast Unalaq with a volley of fire and rocks. She tried to move her arms, but realized the last battle with Vaatu and Unalaq was overly-exhausting. She needed rest, but where could she get rest? She sighed. She knelt down on the ground and looked down on the icy floor. "Take me as your prisoner. Release my friends and imprison me with my father. Bring them to the Spirit Oasis, and allow them to revive Aang. Once they did, allow them to escape unscathed."

"What are you doing, Korra! Don't do it!" Katara said, and Eska sighed.  
"Isn't that what you always wanted, Unalaq! So take me away, take me as prisoner! I will expect no one to bust me, and I guarantee you I will be... submissive." Korra said, and winced at the word _'submissive'_.

"You are of no position to negotiate, do you know that? Avatar Korra... how naive." Unalaq then knelt on one knee, and held Korra's chin. He pulled her chin up to allow her to look at him in the eyes. "On one condition."  
"What is it?"  
"I will take your bending away." Unalaq smiled and stood up. "Consider my offer. You have one minute."

"No! Korra, don't!" Sokka cried out, and Suki echoed his thoughts by protesting the same thing. Toph shook her head at the preposition, and Katara went to Korra and said softly, "You don't have to sacrifice everything. We can fight. We will live to fight another day. Aang said that when he was in Omashu, after it was conquered by Azula."

"No. I can die, but Aang must live. If Aang dies, I will die too. I'm his reincarnation, but without him, there is no more reincarnation." Korra said, and whispered into Katara's ears. "Please, just trust me." Tears trickled down Katara's cheeks, and she nodded her head. She turned away and sat on Appa's saddle. Naga looked at Korra sadly, and wanted to go Korra. Korra stopped it from moving further, and asked it to back away. Naga sadly stepped back.

"You will take my bending after Aang has been revived."  
"No. My condition is this: I will remove your bending right here, right now." Korra gulped, and nodded her head before looking up at Unalaq.  
"How do I know that you will not betray me, Unalaq? You can always pounce at the rest once I'm powerless." Korra said spitefully.  
"I'm not as filthy as you, Korra. Cunning I may be, but you know better that I like to fight when my opponent is possessing... some power." Unalaq said. He put a thumb on Korra's forehead and one on her chest. He then smiled. This was something he had dreamed for so long, and it was finally going to be realised! He focused his energy and Korra looked at Unalaq in fear.

As energy started course through Unalaq's veins and through his palm, he realised Korra was not easy to be removed of her bending. The Avatar State was thrashing within her, and Raava was resisting Vaatu's reach within. Korra sweated profusely, and she felt an immense pain in her chest. She howled in pain, but it subsided as Raava lost to Vaatu with the lack of determination.

Dark energy manifested on Raava and inside her. The Avatar glow slowly darkened.

"Wait, you - your eyes. The - the fear! Where is it! Where is the fear in your eyes, Korra? WHERE IS IT?" Unalaq shouted, and Korra focused her own energy. The darkened glow slowly brightened up and Unalaq realised Korra had _betrayed _him. "Insolent child!" Unalaq tried his best to foucs his own energy, but Raava grew stronger within and it extended into Unalaq.

Unalaq realised that Vaatu will be hurt at the end, and he let go. This set off a series of explosions as the focused energy that was released let off a large boom. The Palace shook wildly, and Unalaq was flung to the throne chair. He hit the chair handle right on his back of the head, and he quickly slipped into unconsciousness. Ozai tried to escape the palace, but Korra froze him quickly with her ice, and the ceiling caved in to bury him. Ozai fainted right after.

Korra stood up. She knew her time-bending was gone. She felt it. The energy that she released was the overload from all her _chi _of time-bending, and she did not regret it. Korra then turned back.

"Haha! Unalaq's right! You are a filthy Avatar!" Sokka said before Korra looked at him angrily. "Right, uh. Sorry."  
"Okay, Katara, get Aang to wherever the place is. Toph, I want you to guard them. Sokka and Suki, follow me. We're going to bust my father and my friends out of prison."  
"What about us, cousin?" Eska said scornfully. She then sighed. "I've seen that you've proven your point well, Avatar. Fine. We will help you once more, but expect no more favors from this moment onwards. Untie this morbid shackle around my hands, and free us. Desna will follow you to bust them out, he knows where the dungeon is. I will guide Katara to the Oasis."

"I believe you are sincere." Korra said. She then went over to untie them. Eska and Desna jumped down Sokka, and they split up. Eska quickly followed Katara, and Desna then pointed to the right.

"The dungeons are at the place nearest to Father. A few miles underground, and under his resting room." Desna said, and led them to the Palace Hall.

Korra nodded. "Let's do this."


	21. Healing of Hearts

"This way!" Desna said, and bent the water in the fountains. She then used the water to blast open the two-storey palace door, and the doors were pulled off their hinges. Inside the Palace Hall was a long corridor, leading to a room. There were more rooms beside the corridors, and each off the doors were carved with a different symbol.

"One of these doors lead to my father's room, but given his secretive nature, he wouldn't tell us where. I know the council room is all the way at the end, but I don't know about the rest." Desna said.

"Perhaps, these symbols mean something..." Sokka felt the carving on the wooden doors, and looked at the symbol. It looked like a crescent... He then looked at the others. "That's it! Each symbol represents the lunar cycle!" He turned to Desna and said, "What's the council room symbol?"

"There is no symbol on the door." Desna said. Then Sokka nodded his head.  
"Simple, that represents the new moon! The new moon is not bright, so there is no symbol. When your father launched his crazy plan, what was the moon like?"  
"It was full, coincidentially. Perhaps not, as he may have planned it."

"I found it!" Suki exclaimed, and Korra looked at Suki push open the handle. The door didn't budge, and Korra slammed the door opened. The door was torn off it hinges, and it flew into the room. There was nothing in the room but a carpet and many candles hanging on the wall. Some of the candles were unlit, and some had melted away already.

"This is the Meditation Room..." Desna said, and thought about his father. "Sokka, I think your idea is partially correct." Sokka then cocked his head in curiosity.  
"How so?"  
"You see, my father... he became the Dark Avatar, sadly. So, I pretty much believe that he wants to bring darkness to the world, and I think that it should be the new moon. The Council Room! Perhaps his bedroom is there!" Desna quickly sped off to the end of the corridor with Korra. Sokka then shrugged.

"Who builds bedrooms by the council rooms?" Suki shrugged, and they both chased after Korra and Desna. Desna pushed opened the Council Room door handle, and they peered inside. There was a long table with a map of the world in the middle, and numerous chairs. Water-tribe flags were scattered on the ground, and the room was dark and unlit. Korra created a fire on her palms, and lit up the area.

"Look at the map." Sokka walked up to the table, and carefully analysed it. "This map is different from the others. Maybe it means something. I'll take it with me." He took the map and put it inside his vest, and they walked around the place. "So, where's his bedroom?"  
"Presumably hidden." Desna said, and he looked at the chairs. Desna pulled one of the chairs away, and there was a sound of a mechanism moving. He put back the chair, and the mechanism moved.

"The lunar cycle is also carved on the chair seats. Perhaps we can pull it accordingly. Starting with the new moon." Desna went to the chair with no carving on its seat and pulled. The room shook, and a mechanism behind the walls made a sound. Sokka pulled another chair, and Suki pulled another one. They completed the pulling sequence and the wall behind the end of the table started to sink, revealing a room with beds, tables, chairs and a mirror.

"All this, for just a bedroom?!" Sokka said.  
"You don't know my father enough." Desna said, and they entered the bedroom. The wall rose up and was shut.  
"How are we supposed to get out of here?" Suki said. Korra then examined the mirror. She took the mirror down, and saw a button on the wall. She pressed it, and the whole room started to sink. The room descended underground like an elevator, and they reached the bottom. Underground, it was much hotter, and they started to perspire. Korra lowered the temperature down by freezing the area, and she then created a small palm-light.

They walked down the corridor, and the walls were blank and made of rocks. They continued walking further before reaching a Y-junction.  
"I wish Toph was here." Sokka said. Suki elbowed Sokka who then protested, "What? I mean, she could find out where they were with her _feet_!" Sokka looked at Suki. "Wait, are you jealous? Aww, you're jealous!" Suki slapped Sokka, which made him shut up.

Desna then walked to the right, and the team followed. "The paths here wind, but it was meant to disarray pursuers. They all lead to where your friends are." After walking and turning lots of times, they finally reached a metal bunker door. Korra and Desna readied their stances, and they both used the water to try and tear the door off by blasting it. The door didn't budge.

Korra lifted some rocks, and used it to smash the door handle. The handle didn't break. Desna sighed.  
"If only this door would explode!" Korra said. "My head's expanding from all these pressure!"  
"Pressure? Expand? Wait! I know how to open the door!" Sokka then felt the texture of the door, and found a slight depression. He then turned to the two waterbenders.

"Fill this hole with water. The hole extends to somewhere. When you put the water in and fill it up, push the water outwards and expand it! The door will then... uh, open!" Sokka said gleefully. Suki rubbed Sokka's hair which made him even more happy. Korra and Desna nodded, and followed Sokka's orders. The door slowly opened, and they entered the room.

"Oh my." Suki gasped.

* * *

"This way!" Eska said. Katara was carrying Aang on Naga as Appa was too large for the corridors. Before going in, Katara asked Appa to leave the place and hide somewhere far and despite that it was reluctant, it knew all to well for him to be safe. Appa flew away and escaped the guards, who were rushing in to rescue Unalaq and Ozai.

Then they stopped. A guard was infront of them, and he was poised, ready to battle. Eska ended it quickly by freezing his whole body, leaving his head exposed. "I command you, traitor. Give me the exact location of the deepest point of the Palace." Eska said fiercely, which made the guard gulp. He then said it was underneath the kitchen, which is the cellar.

"That's right. I knew it a long time ago." Eska knocked the guard with a blast of water, and the guard slumped onto the ground. Then started to run towards the kitchen.

"Why did you do that?" Katara said.  
"For fun." Eska replied.  
"I think I like this girl." Toph laughed, and they quickly found their way to the kitchen, which was enormous. Long stretches of tables, pans and wares were littered across the place, and other kitchen paraphernalia were hung on the walls, and placed on the tables. Toph stamped her foot on the ground, and tore the whole place up by causing the earth to move upwards.

"You're the most manly girl ever." Katara said, and Toph grinned. She had made a long diagonal rock path to the cellar door at the end and they ran to the cellar door. They pushed opened the door, and Eska quickly identified the porcelain jar, as there was only one exquisite jar in the entire place. They opened the lid, threw it away, and jumped through. As Eska jumped through, she placed the lid back on top.

"Ahhhh!" Katara screamed as they landed on grass. She looked upwards, and saw Aang's body coming to her. She grabbed it, and avoided the falling Toph and Eska. Toph laughed, and commented on how she enjoyed the journey. "Oh, if Sokka was here I would be happier! His girl screams make me so glad." Toph laughed even harder, and Katara laid Aang flat on the ground beside the Oasis.

Tui and La were still in their perpetual cycle in the pond, and Katara was reminded on how Princess Yue sacrificed herself here, to become the moon spirit. She bent the water up from the pond, and placed it on Aang. Aang started to cough.

"He's alive! But unconscious. I have to keep healing." Katara then encased Aang's body in water, and placed her hands inside the water. She moved her hands around, feeling the broken bones, sprains, muscle tears and torn parts within his body, and feel them slowly repairing as she concentrated on her healing.

"How long will it take?" Eska questioned.  
"You should ask, how long will it take for all of you to accompany him." They turned around at the sound of the strange voice, and saw that it was Ozai. Ozai was standing there, huffing.

"He sent you? Why not Unalaq!" Toph said.  
"Because Unalaq's chasing Korra. And I think I can take on a blind girl, a busy healer and a traiterous _bitch_." Ozai looked at Eska, who assumed her stance.

"Do not test me, Ozai."  
"Have you not learnt? Do not address me by my name!" With that, Ozai spat fire at Eska, who dodged to the left. Toph lifted some rocks up and flung it at Ozai, who melted the rocks immediately with his fire breath.

"How did you melt that rock, I thought -"  
"That bent fire was not hot enough? Bent fire isn't, but dark fire is!" With that, Ozai leapt up to the air. He then flew down to the ground towards Eska and he hit the ground, causing a small crater to form. Toph and Eska both flew away on the area impact, and Katara shielded Aang's body. Aang had started to breathe normally.

Ozai was too powerful for the two girls to handle. As Eska shot ice spikes at Ozai and Toph kept flinging rocks at him, Ozai managed to either dodge or absorb the hit with no signs of hurt at all. It seems he was too powerful.

"Now I know why Aang had trouble facing him before." Toph said, and she covered herself in rock. She then shot all the rock at Ozai, and the rock hit Ozai. The rocks and boulders hit Ozai at a very fast speed, and he winced at the impact. Ozai huffed, and breathed in deeply. Eska created a giant ice wall at that, and Toph created a giant rock wall infront of the ice wall. She then went to Eska, and they held their contact with the walls.

Ozai exhaled, and took at stance. He inhaled and leapt up to the air, his legs used as jet propellers using flames projected from it. He then concentrated a small fire within both of his palms, and started to grow it.

"When Sozin's Comet came, I've never felt that much power before! But Unalaq gave me this power, and it's ten times better than the pathetic comet!" Ozai laughed, and the small fire started to form into a ball.

The small ball of fire started to grow a bit bigger, but it seems Ozai was holding it. Toph knew the impact was going to be very hard, and she told Eska to dodge later on. Ozai smiled and licked his lips in delight.

"Little girls will always be little girls." The small ball of fire grew larger, and Ozai had started to sweat. Small swirls of fire swirled around the ball and around his wrist, then he exhaled. The small ball of fire expanded a few body-lengths, and it came down as a rectangular fire wall. Ozai then breathed fire from his mouth and concentrated it into the wall and it exploded.

Toph was thrown away, and she hit the wall before going unconscious. Eska was also flung away, and she hit the bridge of the Oasis and collapsed. She then slipped into unconsciousness.

Ozai then looked at Katara.

"Your turn."


	22. Bloodlines and Lives

"Mako... Bolin..." Korra said, trying not to cry. Her eyes were glistened with tears, and she wiped them off with her hands.

Mako and Bolin were chained up on the rock wall, their hands bound together with heavy chains. Their bodies were also chained to a large metal post, and their legs were bound by thick rope. Their faces were sullen, and bruises were visible on their body. Their thighs and shin were covered with wounds and scars that had just healed, and their eyes were red with tears.

"What happened to you? Unalaq, that bastard!" Korra said, and turned away, for she could not bear Mako and Bolin seeing her cry. Mako looked at Korra, and tried to smile, but it was weak. Bolin looked up, and then turned away.

"Hey, Korra." Mako spoke, before coughing blood onto the ground, which made Korra's heart ache so much that she could die on the spot. She went over to Mako, and untied the chains. Eska walked over to Bolin and unbound him, which made him smile.

"Hey, hottie. What's your name?" Bolin said to Eska, which made her made a soft 'pfft'. Bolin tried to laugh, but his chest hurt so much that even the slightest breathing brings pain.

Sokka went over to the large prison cells and saw numerous prisoners. Men dressed in Southern water-trible clothes, Earth Kingdom traders, Fire Nation administrators and soldiers and even their own citizens. He sighed. _What kind of man would do such a thing? _He then tried to locate Zuko and Iroh. As he walked further, each of the prisoners looked at Sokka with eyes so sorrowful and full of despair. The fight, the passion and the flame in them, was all extinguished by Unalaq and whatever that he had done.

Then a soldier spoke up. "You're looking for the special prisoners, right? They're at the end of the prison." The soldier coughed and smiled weakly at Sokka. Sokka nodded his head, and urged Suki to follow him. They walked past many cells, then they reached a large door which was unlocked. Sokka pushed the door open, and gasped.

"Zuko!" Sokka exclaimed in unison with Suki.  
Zuko was shivering on the ground, foam spewing from his mouth, his eyes widened with fear and shock. Iroh was trying to calm him down, and tears trickled down his cheeks. Iroh looked up at Sokka and Suki, and smiled.

"Just in time. Zuko was fed something, I think it was a kind of paralysing poison. I know the cure, it can be found in the Earth Kingdom." Sokka heaved a sigh of relief, then went to the prison door. He tried to pull it open, but it was too heavy and it wouldn't budge. Then he said, "I can't open this!"

Suki pushed Sokka aside, and climbed up the cell. She then located an opening, and pushed it open. "It appears this was open the whole time. Why didn't you escape?" Iroh then sighed. "Zuko." Suki mouthed an 'oh', then jumped in. Sokka clambered up the cell, and Suki gave him to hold Zuko. Sokka climbed down the cell, and Iroh and Suki came out of the prison. Korra was busy trying to heal Mako and Bolin, then Sokka looked at the other prisoners.

"I can't just leave them here. They remind me too much of you at the Boiling Rock, and my dad too." Sokka said, and Suki tried to find the keys to open the cells. Suki found a set of keys, and inserted it into the locks, and opened the cell door. The prisoners tried to stand, and they hugged Sokka and Suki.

"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." A man dressed in Earth Kingdom clothes said, and he quickly gathered everyone. Everyone came at his command, and he smiled. The fire was back in their eyes, and they were ready to make their escape.

"Who are you? Why did Unalaq imprison you?" Suki asked.  
"We're part of the Eclipse Rebellion Team. We've planned to overthrow Unalaq's corrupted government on the day of the Lunar Eclipse, when he could not bend water. We were caught long before our invasion plans, and we're all trapped here."

"So, whens the lunar ec -" Before Sokka could finish the sentence, the prison started to cave in. The people shrieked, and they started to move towards the exit.

"I expect resistance. Unalaq may come." The man said, and everyone started warming up. Some of the fire benders tried to punch fires, and the earth benders lifted up large boulders from the walls. The others readied their weapons found in the chests of the prison, and they were ready to fight. Sokka and Suki quickly moved to the front line, and sure enough, they heard numerous footsteps coming towards them. Korra pulled Mako and Bolin to the side and Eska stood up and guarded them.

The door was swung opened, and only one man entered the room. There were some soldiers outside, but only one man clad in elaborate armor entered. Eska looked at the man. "General Han."

"I'm now Admiral Han, after Unalaq gave me the authority to enter this prison. I see no one gave you the authority, right?" General Han smiled. Eska took a close look at his face, and she finally had a clear look. General Han was the splitting image of Unalaq, but he had a scar running from his forehead diagonally down over his eyes. He had only one left eyebrow, and his cheekbones was higher up. His chin was less squarish, and it was shorter than Unalaq. But it was hard to make out his expression, as he too holds a mysterious demeanor.

"You look like my Father, Han." Eska said, and he took a step forward.  
"Before he became the Dark Avatar, I was more superior than him in terms of waterbending. Because I can do this." He smiled, and everyone in the room stared to squeal and howl in pain. Sokka and Suki were forcibly knelt down, and even Eska could not resisit it. She felt her blood moving down to her legs, and some to her head. A headache came over everyone, and all of them knelt.

"Bloodbending, can be honed from young. Bloodbenders bend with their hands, but I bend with my _mind_." He said, and looked at Korra. Korra was resisting it, and she could move her hands. She was reminded of Yakone, who had psychic bloodbending powers before Aang took it away. Korra clenched her fists slowly, before howling in pain. Han knocked everyone out except for Sokka and Suki, and focused all his bending on Korra. Korra grabbed her head, and she slowly knelt down.

"No." Mako said softly before drifting off into unconsciousness. Korra heard it, and tried to stand.  
"You - you - monster -" Korra stood up, and created a fireball within her palms. She hoisted her hand up, and fired the ball at Han. Han dodged the ball, and Korra took the split second the Han broke from his bending to fire more balls at Han. Han was hit by the fire, and he was sent flying to the door. He tried to stand, but Korra had covered his hands and legs with earth.

"I don't use my hands and legs, Korra." Han's eyes widened as he tried to focus his bloodbending on Korra, but he accidentally broke his grasp on Sokka and Suki, who went over and knocked him out. His soldiers poured in, but were quickly finished by them, and they all fell onto the floor in pain. Korra looked back and grabbed Mako and Bolin up. Eska then helped Zuko with Iroh, and they went out of the prison.

"What about the Eclipse people?" Suki said.  
"We can't always save everyone. They'll understand." Korra said, and they quickly made their way out of the prison.

* * *

"Aang will defeat you again, Ozai." Katara hissed at Ozai, who was strolling towards her, his eyes looking at Aang.  
"Why would I give him that chance?" Ozai said, and pulled Katara's hair and hoisted her backwards. Katara bent the water from the pond and hit Ozai's face with it. The water hit him, and Katara froze the water. His head was frozen in a block of ice, but with one breath the ice melted completed. Katara looked at him in anger.

"Little girl, how about a fair fight?" Ozai smiled and walked back. Katara watched him walk, then turn around to launch a fire blast. She dodged it by a whisker, and watched the air around the fire turn temporarily black-and-white. She knew Ozai was too powerful for her, and she had to do. She had to use it. Something she dreaded using.

She looked up at the sky. The moon was 3/4 full, but it doesn't matter. She had to try. She gracefully moved her hands, and felt the water within Ozai, and suddenly she hit it. She felt a rush of water through Ozai's veins and she clenched her fists.

"Ahh!" Ozai screamed. "You - what have you - done?!" Katara tried to feel the blood, and tried to pull Ozai down. Ozai was brought to the ground, and he tried resisting the pull. "It's not - the - full moon - how?" He eventually knelt down, and Katara tried to move his hands, but she thought about a faster way of killing him. There was no way she could avoid his death. He _deserved_ it.

Katara pulled the blood away from his heart, and pulled it out of his body. But the blood was filled with a dark energy that has already manifested within him, and it was impossible for her to bend it out without the full moon. She never wanted to use it, let alone master it. She moved all his blood towards his brain, and Ozai howled under the immense pain. The blood was floating and swirling around in his brain, and his eyes were bloodshot. Small amounts of blood droplets have left his body through the earhole. She decided to end it, right now.

She clenched her fists twice, and in a milli-second, she moved her hands upwards to sky. Ozai was lifted off the ground, and he closed his eyes. Katara moved her hands slowly, and flung Ozai towards the rock wall. Ozai hit the walls without making a sound and the rocks buried him partially. Blood flowed out of his nostrils and ear, and he slipped into unconsciousness.

"I just ..." Katara wept a bit, then continued to heal Aang, who had managed to breathe steadily. Then Aang coughed, and blood was spewed out of his mouth along with spit. Katara felt his throat, and healed the insides of it. Aang settled and then, his fingers twitched.

His nose twitched. His eyes fluttered.

His left hand moved, and his toes twitched.

His eyebrows knitted.

His eyelids opened.

"Katara..." Aang said weakly.  
"Thank you. Thank you for living."


	23. Escaping

"Toph, Desna." Katara shook the two fainted people, and they started to wake up. She had dragged their bodies to the Oasis, and she tried to heal them.

"Katara, is Aang..." Toph said, and Katara nodded. Toph smiled, and got up. Desna was also trying to stand up, but he coughed hardly.  
"My gratitude." Desna said, and Toph looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Why can't you speak normally?" Toph said, and Desna looked back at her.  
"What is the reason that _you _are unable to communicate as I do? Normally!" Desna said, and Toph blew her fringe up in an attempt to not care. Desna laughed awkwardly, and then they hoisted Aang up.

"I can't heal him as much as I can. His injuries have to heal by themselves. I'm too tired." Katara said, and Toph put a hand on her shoulders.  
"You did what you can." Katara nodded, and they both embraced. Desna sighed.

"Outburst of emotions. How interesting." Desna stood up and pointed towards the top of Oasis, which was where Aang was captured by Zuko during the siege of the Northern Water Tribe by Zhao the Conqueror. "The everlasting blizzard up there poses an annoying threat, but that's the only possible course of action for now. Where is the furry animal which flies?"

"You mean Appa?" Toph laughed. "Katara, where's Aang's flute thing?"  
Aang heard her ask, and handed her a flute in the shape of a bison. As he handed her the flute, he clutched Toph's hand tightly and squeezed it, smiling. Toph blushed momentarily, and looked at Katara, who was looking at the blizzard with Desna. Toph hugged Aang's body for awhile, and pressed Aang's nose. "You worried me, Twinkletoes. And nothing worries me but me." Aang smiled, and Toph let go and blew into the flute as hard as she could. There was a roar.

"That primitive expression of acknowledgment, does it originate from the furry animal that flies?" Desna asked, and Katara nodded. They looked up at the blizzard, and sure enough, Appa flew down. It appeared that he had hidden in the cave where Zuko and Aang hid during the blizzard, and Appa landed on the grass. He shook off the snow from his fur, and licked Desna which tried to wipe of the saliva and spit with his robes.

"What about Sokka and the rest? I'm sure they must have escaped by now." Toph said.  
"A certain patch of tundra, inhabitable and hostile, is by the west, near the sea. I handed this instruction to meet there after their success." Desna then touched the fur of Appa, who seemed to like it. Desna gave the slightest smile, before telling everyone to go. Katara carried Aang up, and put down on the saddle. Katara took the ropes, and said, "Appa, yip-yip." The bison gave a loud roar before flying to the sky.

"Toph, please remove your limbs from mine. The close contact with another human gives me considerable amount of discomfort." Desna said to Toph, who was holding tightly on Desna's left arm.

"I'm blind, I can't see where I'm going here, so I need some support." Toph grinned at Desna, who sighed.  
"Perhaps, I shall magnanimously allow you to have close contact with me." Desna looked away and Appa rose up to the blizzard, which had subsided a bit as opposed to the first time they looked at it. Appa roared as a piece of hail hit his horn, and he quickly sped off. Katara whipped the rope, to tell to him to move even faster.

The blizzard stopped, and Appa had left the place. The city loomed below, and there many guards lying on the ground, either dead or knocked out. Some of the guards spotted Appa, but they did nothing. It appears that they were hit too badly by something and they could not react in time. A pathetic spurt of water appeared from the walls, which barely travelled a few metres. Desna laughed choppily, and Katara swiveled Appa to the left.

"There they are!" Katara exclaimed, and saw Korra and the rest with Naga on a patch of bleak white snow. Appa landed, and Katara hopped off. Desna hopped off with Toph, and Desna quickly broke free of Toph's grab. Desna heaved a sigh of relief before Toph guffawed at Desna's over-reaction.

"Nice work, guys! It seems you have gone for the direct escape." Katara said.  
"How's Aang?" Korra said.  
"Alive and awake, but extremely exhausted. Wait, where's Zuko and Iroh?" Katara looked around to find them, but there were no signs of them.

"Zuko's poisoned by some kind of chestnut. Horse chestnut, Iroh said. Iroh said he found the cure's leaves here, and Sokka and Suki went with him. They just left." Korra said, and Katara went over to hug her. "I'm so tired, Katara. Being Avatar sucks. Being the Avatar's friend is worse."

"Nonsense." Katara said, and with Korra they tried to heal Aang. Desna and Eska both walked up to each other and started into each others eyes.

"You're not going to hug or something?!" Toph exclaimed.  
"Intimate contact between us is limited to direct eye contact or spoken word." Eska said, and Desna nodded. "Did this blind girl have close contact with you, Desna?"  
"She... uh... did." Desna said, before blushing, which was a first. Eska looked at Desna's face, which turned a dark shade of red. Then Eska went over to Desna, and slowly put a hand on his shoulder, which made Desna shocked. Desna then put one hand on her shoulder. Toph then walked behind Eska, and gave her a push. Eska fell into Desna's shoulders, and they both embraced forcibly. They broke from it quickly, commenting on how 'difficult' it is for them to have close contact and how 'unnecessary' it was. Toph grinned and laughed.

"Ah, I conclude that the cure have been located and consumed by the poisoned Firelord." Desna said as Zuko was held by Sokka and Suki by the shoulders. Iroh was busy munching on some berries.

"I found a great berry, so sweet and tender. The cure is actually very tasty!" Iroh laughed and finished the berries on the branch. Zuko smiled weakly, and he laid down on Naga's fur. Zuko clutched his stomach, and vomited by the side. "I don't feel so well, uncle. What did Unalaq give me?"

"I told you it was poison! Horse chestnuts should never be eaten directly. If we were late, you would be long dead!" Iroh reprimanded Zuko, who nodded his head. "I don't want you to die on me. Ever." They embraced, and the sight was warming. Sokka and Suki both hugged, which made Toph grumble. "Oh, so no love for the blind girl, eh?"

"Come here you." Sokka said, and they both hugged. Suki looked away and gazed at the ocean. Then they heard a sharp cough, and they saw Aang rise up from the saddle and leap down the bison. Aang bent the snow, then let go.

"I feel, energised." Aang said, and he raced around the place on an air scooter. Korra made a facepalm, and she climbed down Appa with Katara. All of them then gathered around.

"So, now we have to find Unalaq and Ozai, then finish them off." Korra said, determined.  
"I'm afraid we will have difficulty. Unalaq and Ozai are so powerful! We need to have an edge over them." Aang said, before adding. "I'm not sure we can do this. We're facing a corrupted Avatar, and a ten times more powerful Ozai."

"I know how we can defeat Unalaq. Ozai can be dealt with anyday." Sokka said. Numerous 'how's were heard, and Sokka grinned.  
"The day of Red Moon."


	24. Mutiny

"Wake up, Ozai."

Unalaq shook Ozai, and he woke up in a daze. He was dragged out of the rocks, and he was sitting by the Oasis, being healed by the healers of the tribe. The healers backed away, and Unalaq gave him a hand. Ozai looked at Unalaq, then he took the hand hesitatingly. Ozai was pulled up and Unalaq quickly ordered everyone to leave the Spirit Oasis. Everyone bowed, and they left Unalaq and Ozai alone.

Unalaq then looked at Ozai squarely in the eyes, then gave him a sock in the jaw. Ozai almost went into the pond, and he grabbed his jaws in pain.

"You failed me, Ozai. I thought you would be better!" Unalaq yelled furiously, his eyes burning with rage.  
"I apologize for that Unalaq, another chance for me and I will prove my worth." Ozai said. Deep down inside, he was furious at Unalaq for belittling him, for forcing him to apologise. His eyes were filled with hatred, but he looked down on the floor as he knelt on one knee. Unalaq then ordered Ozai to rise.

"Very well. I will give you one chance. We will be venturing far tomorrow, but it will be fast. We will quickly zip in, and destroy everything that we see." Unalaq said, and Ozai turned curious.  
"What are we going to do?"  
"Annihilating the entire population of Republic City."

* * *

"The lunar eclipse is the best way to take down Unalaq quickly, just like how the solar eclipse had affected the Fire Nation so badly." Sokka said. Katara shook her head.  
"Remember how Ozai was held up in a bunker? And the rest of them too? I'm sure Unalaq will be hiding away."

"No." Aang said. Everyone turned around to look at him.  
"Even if he loses his water bending, he still has dark energy in him that he could use." Korra nodded her head, and Sokka pondered on the that.

"It's still to think of anyway." Sokka then climbed up Appa. "So where are we going to now?"  
"Republic City!" Korra climbed up on Naga. "We'll ask Tenzin and the United Forces for help. I'm sure they will." Everyone else clambered up onto Appa's saddle, and they flew into the sky. Korra then rode Naga to the jetty, where Appa was already waiting for them. There was a large frigate, its sail unrolled and almost ready to sail, but they got on the ship just in time. They sneaked onto the ramp into the cargo holding area, and watched the cargo door roll down and shut close. Sokka got off Appa, and looked at the cargo crates.

"Look at these explosives!" Sokka held up a round ball and Korra told him to put it back.  
"That's my friend, Asami's, product. She runs a giant factory and they produce war supplies. When out of war, they make cars."

"But there's no war now. Not yet. Why are there so many explosives?" Sokka climbed up the ladder onto the second level, where there were even more crates bearing the words 'Future Industry'. Sokka opened the crates, and found even more bombs, firecrackers, bundles of plastic explosives and more. Sokka leapt down to the floor, and found Korra examining one of the crates curiously.

"You know, why there so many explosives down here when the Northern Water Tribe did not make bombs?" Sokka said. Then a sudden realization hit him hardly and he punched his palm at that thought. "Unless..."  
"Unless WHAT?" Korra said.  
"These bombs were meant to explode. And explode on this ship."

* * *

"The sky bison was seen flying towards the explosive frigate!" One of the guards shouted, and General Han took the telescope. Sure enough, a bison walked up the ramp with people on its saddle, and a polar-bear dog was climbing up the ramp while sniffing the ground. The door closed, and he smiled.

"They think they're so clever. They think they escaped on a ship, on the way to... _Republic City_." General Han handed back the telescope before walking away. "You there, send a message to the guards by the jetty. They'll take care of the frigate."

"But they've got a sky bison, they'll survive the sinking, General Han." The guard said, before General Han smiled, showing a bit of his teeth. His eyebrows were knitted, and his scar was bulging in size.

"It isn't meant to kill them, but to delay them for the _kill_."

* * *

"I don't know, Sokka. That sounds awful, but also very possible." Aang said, and he looked at the explosives. "Is there any way we can stop the explosives from exploding?"

"We can remove the gunpowder inside, but it will take forever. Unless you can make a hole small enough to prevent the ship from sinking, but big enough to chuck the explosives to the sea." Toph then jumped down Appa, and rolled up her sleeves. She felt the box of the explosives, and estimated its size. She then touched the wooden inner side of the ship and punched it.

"They forgotten I'm a metalbender, haven't they? There's a very thin wood covering a thick metal wall, I reckon I can open a hole up." Toph punched the wood continously, and the wood quickly caved in and exposed a grey iron wall. She punched the wall, and tore it open. Water slowly poured into the place and Toph yelled at Sokka to throw the explosives away." Everyone got working, and they handed the crates down quickly. Katara bent the water to stop them from coming in, and as a crate was put through the hole she flicked her wrists to create a small wave to take the crates away.

Aang then climbed up a ladder to the second floor, and bent a small tornado. As he kept the tornado going, Sokka threw the crates into the tornado. Aang lowered the tornado, and many crates hit the floor. They were also chucked out in the same fashion.

"There's more here!" Sokka exclaimed, and he went towards the corner of the second level and found a large crate. "I can't move this!"  
"Let me try." Aang swung his staff, and air started to push the crate upwards. He moved the crate slowly to the ledge, and threw it down. He then created a tornado to stop the crate from landing hardly on the ground, and then he passed it to Toph.

"This is too big to go through the hole! Toph, make a larger one!"  
"But it will sink the ship!" Toph said.  
"Don't worry! Close it quickly later then!" Toph nodded, and opened the hole bigger. The ship was sinking alright, but the sinking was slight and unnoticeable. Water quickly entered the cargo holding area and Appa retreated at the sight of the water. Naga drank the water before spitting all of them out. Aang then swung his staff quickly, and sent the crate flying to the hole. Katara bent the water, and pulled it out of the ship. Toph then jumped up and pulled the metal walls close, and the hole was tightly shut.

Then the ship started to shake.  
"The explosives must have detonated by itself just when we put it outside!" Katara moved to the wall and felt the seawater crashing onto the ship. In a split second, she quickly pulled the waves upwards and pushed it forward, which pushed the large crate of explosives further away. Sokka then sighed.

"We're lucky that I'm here."  
"What about us, bonehead? We did the work!" Toph said, and crossed her arms. Sokka smiled sheepishly, and they gathered around Appa and Naga.

"Now, I'm not sure that this ship's heading for Republic City _at all_. Maybe it was a ploy to deter us from reaching there." Korra said. Desna then nodded his head.  
"Given my father's intellect and wisdom, he would naturally opt to disarray a bunch of desperate and helpless people from reaching their area of protection." Eska continued, "Naturally, this floating distraction would be heading towards a destination much further away from Republic City. Perhaps, Whaletail Island."

"We can't just sit here and let us be transported somewhere so far away!" Toph said.  
"You're right. Sokka, any ideas?" Katara said.  
"I know. We'll stage a mutiny!"

* * *

"The message's sent. The guards have also sent the message. It should have reached the ship by now." A guard reported to General Han, who told him to continue with his duty. The guard saluted him, and continued to repair the broken city walls. There was a large gap by the side of a wall, and both sides have collapsed to the ground.

"You there, report to Unalaq that they're... _swimming_." Han laughed at his own joke, and the guard nodded his head. He quickly sped off to the Palace, and General Han continued to gaze across the city.

"Oh, Avatars. You never know what's going to hit you."

* * *

"You sure this will work, Sokka?" Aang looked at Sokka, who was trying to wear long beard made of Appa's fur.  
"I once went into the Fire Nation army like this, young Avatar. As Private Wang Fire!" Sokka laughed, and his mustache fell off. He quickly picked it up and put it back on his face. He then climbed up a ladder to a trapdoor, and pushed it open. It was noisy up the deck as sailors were busy conversing and drinking rum and whatnots. Some of them were atop the sails, and the others were patrolling the decks.

He looked at the sailors. Many were armed with a sword, and those who didn't have swords were most likely benders or important officials. He then climbed up the trapdoor, and waited for one of the sailors to take notice. There was large cargo holding area in front of him, and he hid behind it.

Sure enough, a sailor holding a lantern quickly noticed the opened trapdoor. He looked around to see if anyone had noticed, and he went over it. Sokka waited for him to go close enough, then he kicked him downwards to the bottom. Sokka then climbed down the ladder.

"It was barely a second that he got knocked out! What did you all do?" Sokka said.  
"Appa did it!" Appa growled softly, and apparently the sailor fainted out of shock. Sokka then suggested that he will keep kicking down the sailors, and they will then knock the sailors out. They agreed, and Sokka climbed up the ladder.

"So, we're supposed to wear their clothes?" Katara then took a sniff. "He must have not washed for years!"  
"Terrible." Toph said, with scorn.

And so it continued, the Grand Fall of the Sailors as they took their fall from the deck to the cargo area, and each time Appa was there scare their pants off. Sokka was pretty much contented with kicking them down, but he had a larger plan. After all, a ship full of nonbenders can't handle two Avatars, let alone one.

"You know, I keep wondering why we didn't just go up there and beat the crap out of them." Toph said. Eska nodded her head.  
"The blind girl's thoughts are more logical than this nonsense."

"We don't have to knock every single one of them out! There's like a hundred of them outside! Just follow my plan!" Sokka then started to take off the clothes and pants off a sailor, revealing his underwear, which was a red boxer with heart shapes on it.

"What? What so funny?" Toph said, confused.  
"Just pants." Aang laughed, and they each wore the sailor clothes on.

"I refuse to get into that putrid smelling piece of fabric. I prefer my comfortable robes." Desna said. Sokka threw the clothes at him nonetheless, and he reluctantly agreed to wear it over his robes. Eska did the same. After Korra finished wearing her clothes, they climbed up the ladder and hid behind the cargo.

"Listen, I heard most of them complaining about food and water and overworking and stuff. So we just go up to them and tell them the captain's not giving them food and water three days unless they sail faster to Republic City." Sokka said, and everyone quickly sped off to the small groups of sailors that were engaged in conversation.

"Psst." Sokka whispered. One of the sailors turned to look at Sokka in the oversized clothes.  
"Newcomer?"  
"I'm the scrubber on the decks. You're not getting food tomorrow, same as the rest."  
"What?" Another sailor got up, and asked, "Why?"  
"The course is changed to...uh...Republic City."  
"I thought the Captain ordered us to sail for Whaletail?"  
"The course is changed. His bodyguards told me that, and we have to reach there within 2 days or else you guys will have no food."  
"That's not possible! There's not a single bloody wind blowing from the north to Republic City!"  
Another sailor stood up and said, "I have had it with that bloated fatman! Let's tell everyone else about this!"

Soon enough, every sailor was running around ascertaining the news, and everyone of them were angry and pissed off. But it wasn't enough to set off the mutiny. Something was need to trigger them off. They were just shouting and ranting, and busy not doing their job and busy complaining. "Turn around slowly, _scrubber_."

Sokka felt the cold tip of a sword behind his neck, and he spun around slowly. The captain was holding him by knifepoint, and his face was not exactly happy. He then pushed the sword slightly more forward to his throat, and Sokka gulped. "So what's this, you're the one causing everyone here to become primitive barbarians aren't you!"

Sokka then turned around to the shouting sailors. "Everyone, look! The Captain's going to kill me for telling you the news!" Sokka then ran off into the crowd, and the Captain tried to chase, but the sailors blocked him. Some of the sailors took to standing atop the mast, and yelled "Mutiny".

"Sokka's plans sometimes are really ridiculous, but they mostly turn out well don't they?" Toph said to Korra, who was standing beside her.  
"Fortunately."

"The Captain's scrimping off our food and eating like a fat pig every day, that's very unfair isn't it for us hungry sailors!" The sailors shouted 'Yar!" and "Aye!" in unison, and the man continued. "The Captain never touched the wheel, and had come out from his cabin, but still becomes Captain because of his relationship with the Chief!" Everyone shouted 'Boo!' and 'Aye!' and then Sokka jumped up a box and shouted, "What's more, this ship was supposed to be sunk! Unalaq ordered this ship to be sunk and he had _ascertained the Captain's safety. _Only the Captain!"

The Captain protested, but the sailors were too furious to listen. They started to destroy everything in the cabin, and they fought the bodyguards of the Captain. The Captain pushed some of the sailors off into the sea, but there too many swords pointing at him. Some of the guards went to his protection, and the sailors were hacked at by the guards. Surprisingly, there were many bodyguards than sailors, and they were much skilled.

Sokka jumped down and picked up a sword and felt the blade. It reminded him of his meteor sword, now lost in some dense forest or perhaps deep under a riverbed. Sokka sighed, then charged to one of the men. He punched the guard, and disarmed him by slamming his arm on the ledge. He then pushed the guard into the sea before charging at the others.

Some of the waterbending sailors then bent the water upwards to blast the guards off, but Katara told them not to and leave it to her. With a stance, Korra, Katara, Desna and Eska lifted up a giant wave to push off all the bodyguards into the sea, and they froze the captain on the deck. The mutiny was staged and perfectly completed.

"Bending! Thank god for bending!" Sokka shouted.  
"Unalaq ordered you to blow up the ship, didn't he! I saw you!" He looked at the Captain squarely in the eye.

The Captain shook his head, "No no! I don't know what you're talking about!"  
"I knew it was you! That's why I threw all the explosives into the sea!" Sokka turned away, and continued. "When I climbed up to the second floor of the cargo area, I saw a shadow climbing up another ladder. The shadow then touched the explosives, and quickly ran away when I spotted him. I noticed a feather left there after he's gone, and I heard sounds coming from the crates. And who else in the entire ship has a feather but you! Look at your hat! There's no more feathers!"

The Captain gulped, and one of the sailors stood out. "I'll take care of the Captain. For now, we would like to thank you for saving our lives, young man."

Sokka smiled cheerfully, and the sailor told the rest to tie the Captain up and chain him on top of the mast. The Captain squealed in protest, but he couldn't do anything but squirm and shout "I will get back at you one day, imp! One day!"

"Set sail for Republic City! But this time, we'll have food!" The sailors cheered, and every waterbender on deck worked to bend the waves and push the ship to the north. The sun rose, and it was daytime.

"Look at that! There's so much smoke coming out from that place!" Aang exclaimed.  
Mako quickly ran to the front of the ship and looked out through a telescope. He gasped. "Oh no. Korra!" Korra ran to him and took the telescope.

"What happened there?" Korra said, and she turned around to face the team.  
Aang asked. "What happened? Is it something bad?" As he said that, wind started to blow and a gust of wind threw the ship off course. Katara and Desna quickly pushed the waves at the right side of the ship, and it turned straight towards the docks. The sky in front of the city was dark, and lightning struck on the top of the buildings.

Aang took the telescope. "This wasn't like this when I was here. What happened?"

Korra closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. She sighed.

"Unalaq happened."


	25. Avatars and Ozai

The frigate stopped by the docks, and after everyone got off it quickly sailed away from the city, trying to avoid all forms of conflict. There were sunken ships in the waters near the docks, and there were debris every where.

"Watch out!"  
Aang ran towards Toph and pushed her away from the collapsing building, and it landed on the ground hard, uprooting the trees and destroying the road there. There were sirens and alarms sounds everywhere, and people were running about the place.

"What did Unalaq do?" Korra said.  
"Look at that! The Pro-Bending Arena! It's gone!" Mako pointed at where the Pro-Bending Arena used to stand, and saw that it was entirely ripped off, leaving only some parts of the walls. Bolin knelt down and started to complain.

"No, not my Arena!" Bolin cried. "All the entertainment... Gone!"  
"Get up, Bo. There's worse. Look at the city!"

The sight was eerie but yet at the same time rather interesting. The heart of the city, though most burnt down to the ground, was not colored. All the green of the walls, the blue of the water and the grey of the road were missing, and replaced with black and white colors. It was as if someone had taken a photo of a place affected by war using an early camera that couldn't capture colors. Katara looked at the sight.

"It's Ozai. He's the only one who could do such a thing."

Then there's a piercing scream. Another building collapsed, and there were metalbending police trying to hold the building upwards. Earthbenders were also helping them and they supported the torn building using earth pillors and posts. They lowered it down slowly onto the ground, and they went about their way.

"We can't just stand here like fools! We have to do something about this!" Sokka said.  
"Step aside, children. Run along now, the police have this under control." One of the metalbending police said. "Oh, the Avatar is here, and I see your... friends? Tenzin has been looking for you all day, please head for the temporary bunker. You know where it is."

"How is this under control? You guys are just trying to stop it from being worse!"  
"I'm doing my job as I see fit, Avatar Korra. If you would like to help, you might as well head for the center of the city and kill that flying bastard!" Another police said, and it was Lin Beifong, Chief of Police. She took a look at Toph, and her eyebrow went up in surprise. She then shook her head, and walked away.

"Ozai's there! Let's go!"  
"Are you sure, Korra? Unalaq might be there too." Mako said.  
"We don't have time for deciding, Mako! Let's just go in there and take him down!" Korra sped off on Naga and everyone else got on Appa. The two Avatars were bent on heading to Ozai, and the rest made their way to the bunker. Aang opened his glider, and flew into the center of the city. Then they saw him. The man was sitting atop a large head that replaced a fountain there, and he looked up to see Korra.

"That's the head of my statue!" Aang said as he landed. He pointed the staff at Ozai. "Stop now, Ozai. Or I will bring you down like I did before."

"You think you're so strong. Two Avatars together. But you're weak. All of you!" Ozai said.  
"Aang may be a peace-loving monk, but I will rip you apart even if that was unnecessary for me to stop you!" Korra said, and she took a stance. Ozai leapt off the head, and put his hand on it. He breathed in, and exhaled. Flames emerged from his hand, and it slowly bore a hole in the head. The fire was so hot, it melted the rock, and eventually the whole head disappeared.

"And that's, what's going to happen to both of you Avatars." Ozai jumped up to the sky with his feet-flame propellers, and crossed his arms. He then opened his arms, and moved as if throwing two knives at them, and a large black flame descended on the Avatars. Aang and Korra created a large rock wall, and hurled it at Ozai. Ozai dodged it and held onto a building.

He then sped down to the Avatars like a rocket, and as he landed on the ground, the two Avatars dodged him by jumping to the side. Aang then did a backflip, kicking an air blast to him. He then swung his staff to create another air blast. Ozai was hit, but it was too weak to even hurt him.

"It's good being so strong!" He punched both sides and let loose a fireball, and Aang blocked it with water from the pipes of the buildings. Korra leapt to the side and punched a fireball to Ozai, but Ozai absorbed the fire into his body. Korra was shocked, and lifted up a few rocks from the ground. Ozai then jumped into the sky, leaving a tornado of fire, and he then landed on the ground with the speed of sound. Korra threw the rocks at Ozai, but it missed. Korra was flung to the walls, but Aang had leapt up to the buildings.

He then quickly ran around Ozai, and spun around in circles. It essentially pulled the air up, and he then leapt into the sky. As Aang leapt up, the air also moved up, and Ozai was thrown off balance. Aang landed on the ground, and moved the air around, forming a mini-tornado. Ozai howled in anger, and tried to punch the air, but the air was too strong. Then he exhaled, and started to breathe fire out from his mouth.

"Watch out, Aang! He's trying to turn the air tornado into a fire tornado!" Aang realised this, and he threw the air upwards and flung Ozai up into the sky. Aang jumped away and hid, but Ozai had bent the pressure of the tornado. The tornado quickly dispersed as the pressure was separated, and Ozai landed on the ground. Korra stood up and bent the earth on Ozai's legs, and pulled him downwards into the ground.

"You will die today, Ozai. I'll see to it." Korra then pulled Ozai into the ground, and he was gone. Aang and Korra walked towards where Ozai was slowly then Aang stamped his foot on the ground.

"He's coming up!"  
"How? He can't earthbend, can he?"  
"Run!" Aang then ran forward with Korra, and Ozai suddenly appeared from the rock, apparently digging his way up.

"You forgotten how hot fire can be, filthy Avatars!" Ozai then moved his hands around in a circular fashion, creating a large and towering black fire tornado. He launched it at the Avatars and smiled._ This tornado was too powerful for them to block._

Aang saw it, and created an air sphere within his hands. He then flung it at the tornado, and then he expanded the air sphere. The tornado grew larger in size, but the flames dissipated, and in the end the air extinguished the fire. Korra turned around, and fired continous punches of fire balls, but nothing happened.

Ozai was gone.

"Where's that coward!" Korra yelled. And she looked up into the sky. There was a small flame, and it instantly grew smaller and smaller and disappeared in the end.

"Ozai escaped!" Aang shouted, and opened his glider. Korra then called for Naga, and rode on him. They chased Ozai, and saw that they were heading for somewhere else.

They shouted in unison. "The bunker!"

* * *

"You will be safe here, citizens. The Chief of Police, Lin Beifong, personally promises you." One of the metalbending police told the panicking citizens. Some of them were sobbing and wailing, and the others were dazed, looking in the air without a care. Many were solemn and sad, even the lowlifes and criminals of the city.

"Mako." One of the criminals stood up and patted Mako on the back. He sighed, and sat down again.  
"Where's... your team?"

"Dead. They tried to fight, but that m-monster." He started to sob as tears run up to his eyes. "He burnt his bodies with a kind of black flame, and I ran away. Lightning Bolt Zolt, he told me to run. I came back for their bodies, but that m-monster's flames w-were so hot, they melted their bones into ashes. These are their ashes." He handed him a ceramic jar, and Mako returned it to him.

"I'm sorry, man. I'm really sorry." Mako embraced the sobbing guy, and walked over to the rest of the team, huddled together in fear.

"Who's that?" Toph said.  
"The Triple Threats. I used to work for them, but since Korra, I didn't." Mako said, and turned away.

"Are you sure we should be in here when Aang and Korra are facing him?" Katara said.  
"Yeah, I'm pretty worried about that." Bolin continued.

"Are you saying that Korra and Aang are fighting that person at this moment?"  
They turned around to see who said that, and saw that it was a tall bearded man, eyebrows knitted tightly, his face wearing a sombre expression. "He is too strong for them! Even an entire squadron of police and soldiers couldn't handle. Everyone of them perished in ashes."

Katara then remembered how she bloodbent Ozai under the three-quarters full moon. She tried not to remember how she felt the fluid within the man, and how she slowly manipulated its movements... But this means something. Something big. If bloodbending was powerful enough to subdue him, perhaps that was the only way to kill him. _I'll tell that to the rest later on_. She then turned away to look at the metallic walls of the bunker.

"Speaking of strong, Katara, how did you manage to stop Ozai from killing you back at the Spirit Oasis?" Toph said.  
"I..."

"Silence! The Avatars are needed to rest and train in order to face this danger! Once they trained enough, they will then finish him off and end this tragedy. This is of course, given that they can come back alive." The man continued.

"Tenzin, the danger isn't that simple!" Mako said.  
"What?"  
"Unalaq. He's the Dark Avatar, he's going to kill everyone in the world and create his own era of Darkness!" Bolin continued, and Tenzin's mouth went agape with shock.

"I knew it! Korra shouldn't have left me in the first place! Then the world would be at peace." Tenzin held his forehead. "For now, let's hope the Avatars return safely."

"Sir!" A metalbending police walked up to Tenzin and whispered to his ear. Tenzin said, "What?!" and quickly followed him. Minutes after that, there was a siren sounded in the entire bunker. The siren echoed, and people panicked and started to cry harder and louder.

"What's happening?" Someone shouted.  
"Don't worry, it's just a procedure!" One of the guard shouted, but no one believed it. They knew something bad was going to happen, and sure enough, the bunker started to shake. The walls started to turn a slight red, and the temperature in it was rising.

"Everyone evacuate! The bunker's getting hotter!" Mako said, and everyone stood up and headed for the exit. The guards were pushed off to the sides, and one of the guards hit the wall. His metal uniform was also heated up, and the temperature caused him to faint from the burns. Everyone started to head for the exit, and the door was opened by Korra.

"This way!" Korra pointed to the city, and everyone started running.

"Ozai's on top of the bunker! He's going to melt the entire place down!"  
"How do we stop him! There's no other way!" Mako said.

"I can." Katara stepped out, her voice solemn.  
Everyone looked at her inquisitively, and shook their heads. "I can do this. Watch me." Katara then bent the water from the sea and created a large water vortex for her to ride on, and she landed on the large bunker roof and cooled down the bunker temporarily. Ozai saw this, and stopped heating up the bunker. He then turned around.

"You cheating little girl. You did something to me, didn't you!" Ozai yelled and took a step backwards. He flexed his hands, and bent his neck and warmed up his body.

Katara's hands were behind her back, and her fingers were slowly moving. The half-moon was high in the sky, beautifully yellow. "I didn't. I merely won you."

"Shut up, little girl! You're weak and pathetic. I will end all of you!" Ozai leapt up into the sky but his jump was not high, and instead he came down on the bunker roof and grabbed his forehead. "Y-You're c-cheating again!"

Katara did not care, and this time she moved her hands towards the direction of Ozai, and slowly moved her arms in a circular fashion. She felt the fluids in his body, and slowly pulled all of them up towards his brain. With the moon less bright now, she needed to focus and concentrate fully. She closed her eyes and sweat started to drip from her temples.

Ozai then slowly moved one knee upwards and knelt on one knee. He shuddered a while, then slowly stood up. "You're weaker with the moon less round, little girl. But I'm stronger when it's like that!" Ozai moved his hands up slowly, then he cried out in shock. Katara had let go of her grip by flinging him into the sea, and he landed on the water with a large splash.

Katara then bent the water to create a whirpool, and she sunk Ozai down onto the seabed. Ozai tried to swim upwards, but Katara saw him doing that. She then pushed Ozai downwards with the currents of the water, and after a few seconds, there was no more resistance. Katara, in anger, then created a small tsunami, which hit the sunken ships and sank down the seabed. She then knelt down, and started to cry. She used bloodbending, again.

Aang flew up the bunker roof, and hugged Katara.

"It was necessary, Katara. You have too."  
"I've never used bloodbending so much before. I've never even killed someone."  
"But remember, Katara. It was necessary. Thank you."


	26. Tales of Republic City

Katara gazed out of the window. There's a temporary home set up for the Avatar and her friends, but not many people have noticed the arrival of these people from the past. She looked up at the moon, and looked at her palms that were trembling. Trembling from fear. Fear of herself. She put her hand on her heart, and tears trickled down her eyes.

She can't believe that she used bloodbending so freely, even if was supposed to be 'necessary'. She thought bloodbending was the most inhumane way of torturing and beating someone, and it was the most filthy way to win a battle. She remembered how Ozai looked at Katara in disbelief and fear, and how she had hardened her heart to not release her grip. She felt herself twisting his organs within, and how her own organ twisted in fear of herself.

She then made a decision. Once this war is over, she will suggest that bloodbending be outlawed, and be banned in the entire city. What other way is there to stop waterbenders from learning this disgusting and terrible technique than to list it as a crime? She turned back, and went over to her bed. Slowly, she fell asleep.

* * *

"Korra. Your friends have been most helpful yesterday." Lin Beifong said to Korra, who smiled widely. "But that doesn't mean anything. I've heard that the war is worse than it looks. Care to explain?"

Korra then walked over to the table, and asked Sokka to come over. Sokka put down the map he took from Unalaq's council room and pointed to a black piece of land on the map.

"You see, this place should be Republic City." Sokka said, then he pointed to the lands beside it. "We won't know the next point of attack, but it should be near here. There should be a pattern."

"My father heralds the lunar cycle to no end, and uses it in his plans. Perhaps..." Eska said, before Sokka put a finger on her lips.  
"I'm the guy explaining here! Oh so you want to do my job, go ahead _Princess._" Sokka turned away sulking. Eska shook her head and walked to Desna and whispered something. The twins laughed, and momentarily became silent. Sokka looked at them and continued to explain.

"Okay, so if this place is first venue for the attack, then it's like the lunar cycle. The start of the lunar cycle would be the..."  
"The new moon!" Aang exclaimed, before Sokka turned around and threw a brush at him. Aang dodged and said 'sorry', and Sokka turned around.

"Yes, the new moon!" Sokka said, and Lin slapped her hand on her forehead. Sokka then continued. "So lets follow the cycle, the next attack would be at..."  
"Ba Sing Se?" Lin said.  
"I'm not sure about that too myself, but it is plausible."  
"Ba Sing Se, eh? How ambitious." Lin turned around and talked to one of the guards. "Wire the Earth King, and tell them that the war will hit their city when the crescent moon is in full." The guard nodded, and ran out of the room.

"You youngsters are much helpful. I would like you to be on my police force someday." Lin said to Sokka before walking out of the room. Sokka then looked at the others.

"You know, I think we should tell them that we're actually old team Avatar." Sokka said.  
"I don't know, Sokka. They might not believe it." Aang said.  
"This WHOLE THING is unbelievable! There's nothing else that's more unbelievable than Unalaq strutting around and tearing down homes and ripping people apart!" Sokka threw his hands up in exasperation and left the room. Eska and Desna slowly strolled out of the room, leaving Tenzin and the others.

Tenzin looked at Aang, and remembered their past meeting, then looked at Katara.  
"Dad, Mom... I mean Aang, Katara. Erm, perhaps you would like to help out in the repairing of the city for today. That would be most helpful." Aang and Katara looked at Tenzin with weird looks, and nodded their heads. Then Iroh spoke up.

"I'm going to taste the tea of the city! I'll be on my way now." Iroh walked out of the room with Tenzin, leaving Zuko and Toph. Toph looked at Zuko and Zuko looked at Toph. Although Toph couldn't see it, Zuko blushed then raised his head at Toph as if saying 'What?'. That incurred the same response from Toph, and they both looked away.

"I'm going to -" Toph and Zuko said together.  
"You first -" They said again.  
"No, I insist -" They said again and Zuko and Toph both scratched their heads.  
"You know what - Urgh!" Both of them then decided to leave the room, but both got in the way of each other and they started arguing.

"Fine, let's just walk around city, alright?" Toph said, and Zuko agreed. They both then walked out of the room, happy to have something to do.

* * *

Korra was not in the room just now, and was outside with Mako, looking at the ocean. She watched waterbenders and metalbending police clearing the debris and rescuing the survivors from yesterday. Some were also diving deep into the sea and trying to find the bodies of the soldiers in the ships, and others were trying to find the body of Ozai. Mysteriously, his body had disappeared. Katara had went down to the seabed, but when she resurfaced, she said there was no sign of his body.

Nevertheless, they believed that Ozai had died unded Katara's hands, but Katara was not proud of that. Katara walked away from the waterbending divers and went away. Mako then looked at Korra.

"You know, for once I was actually worried about you yesterday." Mako said.  
"Yeah? Thanks." Korra gave a weak smile, and turned away. "Where's Asami?"  
"Don't know. Perhaps on some business trip to some faraway place."  
"Don't you miss her?" Korra said and turned around, climbing on the ledge and sitting on it. "She's been away since, I don't know, since Amon?"

Mako shook his head and scratched his head. "I don't know." He then walked to Korra, and asked her to come down. Korra leapt off the ledge, and Mako slowly moved his hands to Korra's.

"I know one thing. That I miss you." He slowly went to Korra, and put his lips on hers. Korra closed her eyes as Mako closed his. Waves hit the bottom of the path softly as Mako wrung his hands around Korra's waist. Korra wrung her hands around Mako's neck, and slowly, they kissed.

* * *

Aang was standing at the spot where he fought Ozai yesterday, and he felt the ground with his hand. He picked up the melted remains of his statue's head, and he threw it away. He leapt up to the sky, and swung his staff downwards and all the remains were flung away to the buildings. Aang then landed on the ground and swung his staff horizontally and all of them fly into the sky. He sighed, and turned around. Katara was standing in front him.

"You okay, Aang?" Katara said.  
"I should be asking you that, Katara." Aang sighed.  
"I..." Aang walked up to Katara and embraced her. Katara then hugged Aang tightly.  
"Things have been so crazy these days, I forgotten that I loved you." Aang said. Aang felt Katara's tears drip on his head, and he looked up at her. He wiped the tears off Katara's cheeks, and held her hand. They slowly walked back to their temporary house.

* * *

"Suki!" Sokka shouted.  
"Hey, Sokka." Suki smiled, and hugged him.  
"What's the matter with you Suki, you look so...sad."

Suki shook her head, and merely walked forward. Sokka followed her by her side, and they slowly strolled around the park. Despite the city being destroyed, Ozai has left this place perfectly intact for reasons unknown.

"I've been thinking. If Unalaq is so strong, what if, we don't make it? What if we lose?" Suki said, her eyes full of worry.  
"Suki..."  
"If we lose, we'll never be the same. The past. We'll lost all of that." Suki then looked at Sokka. "If we are gone now, everyone here like Tenzin who's Aang's son will also disappear. The past links to the future. But without the past, there would be no future."  
"What are you getting at, Suki?"  
"I want to be with you forever, Sokka. I don't want to lose you, never." Sokka then wrung his hands around Suki's waist.  
"Me too. That's why we'll win."

* * *

"Hey uh... Eska!" Bolin shouted.  
Desna and Eska turned around to see Bolin quickly running up to them.

"Err, Eska, would you like to have a tour of the city? I mean, I could show you some of the parts that _weren't destroyed_." Bolin smiled widely.  
"It appears this human being is trying to establish a kind of bond with you based on his offer of guiding you." Desna said. "Perhaps I will take my leave." Desna walked away.

"Wow. I thought your brother was going to be here and turn this meeting into an awkward one." Bolin said, and scratched his head.  
"You amuse me. I will possess you and your soul from now onwards till death do us apart."  
"Possess? As in..._girlfriend_ possess? Or _master _possess?" Bolin knitted his eyebrows to form a frown.  
"Master possess. Now show me what you wanted to show."

* * *

Iroh walked up to a tall tree, its leaves fallen and most of its top burnt away by Ozai's fire. He looked at the tree, and touched its trunk. "Nature should never be hurt like this." Iroh then placed down a haversack that he was carrying, and took out a picture with Lu Ten's face. He placed it by the tree, and laid out a table. He took out three incense sticks, and put a plate of five oranges and another plate of five apples and placed by the side of the incense jar. He placed the incense sticks into the jar and lit them up.

"My son. My heart aches every day, but breaks when it reaches to this day." Iroh said.  
"Thank you, my son. You blessed me with Zuko, and I am truly thankful for your blessing." Iroh smiled as his eyes glistened with tears. He touched the frame of the picture, and stood up. He walked away, and the incense stick burnt on.

* * *

Toph slowly walked with Zuko. Toph felt Zuko's heavy footsteps, his each and every breath and sense, and how she felt the vibration of his chest heaving up and down.

"Why didn't you accompany your uncle?" Toph asked.  
"Today's... Lu Ten's death anniversary. I knew better than to accompany him."  
"Who's Lu Ten?"  
"Iroh's son." Zuko said, and stopped by a fence. Toph walked to the fence and leapt up it, then sitting down.

"How did... Lu Ten, you know?"  
"In the war. Iroh withdrew from Ba Sing Se, and decided to return to the Fire Nation, even if that means shame." Zuko said. "He changed, entirely. I'm glad he did."

"You're lucky to have him. I wish I had an adult that actually cared so much for me twenty four hours a day." Toph said. "My father thought I was a weak blind girl, and even try to capture me back home. I never visited even after Ozai was killed, in the past."

"That's rather tough for you." Zuko then put a hand into Toph's hair and ruffled it. Toph shook Zuko's hands off, but she smiled and blushed slightly. "You know, I kind of miss home."  
"Me too. I miss having _past _ground to stand on." Toph said, and leapt down the fence. "Don't you miss your gloomy girlfriend?"  
"She left me. I guess its even now." Zuko then looked at the sea. "You know, she left because I never actually cared for her geniunely. It was just a crush all day long." He sighed and looked at Toph's eyes. Those eyes. Even if they were blind, there was so much emotion in it: pain and sorrow, love and hate. Everything that Toph had experienced, he had felt it. He felt a tingling sensation in his heart, is this what he think he is?

"Toph." Zuko then hugged Toph.  
"Thank you for being here."


	27. Ozai's Beginnings

"Hoist him up! Bring 'im up the deck, mates!"  
"Aye!" A man lowered down a rope and climbed down it, then he grabbed the person's hand. The person was hurt very badly, his faces full of bruises and his arms cut and bleeding.

"Captain! The man's hurt as hell!"  
"We'll go to the Yong Pier then. They'll take care of 'im. But for now, do what ya can mates!"

* * *

_Where am I?  
This place looks really familiar.  
Is that...my father? Father!_

"Ozai!" A woman exclaimed as the little boy fell down on the floor and scraped his knee. The little boy started to cry, and the woman picked him and caressed his cheeks, wiping off the tears.

"There, there. Now mommy will go take some cloth to wipe off the wound okay? Hush now, my cute little pup." The little boy started giggle as the woman poked the boy's nose, and she started to walk to her bedroom. She turned past a corner and entered her room. She sat down by the dresser and opened one of the drawers, and took out a small silk handkerchief. The boy sat on the bed, and the woman bent down to wipe off the blood.

"I heard some crying, my dear. Was there anything?" _Azulon! My...my father. And my mother. Memories.  
_"Oh? Look at you, acting concerned, trying to be a father that you never was!"  
"Dear, you know I'm busy with my political career. I have to learn the ropes before I ascend the-"  
"Enough, Azulon. Leave me." Azulon gulped, and he knew better than to argue with his wife. Despite being the heir to the throne, his wife was someone that he held respect for. He loved her, but he knew that he had not cared for his sons enough. Azulon walked away.

"Mommy, why did you scold Daddy?"  
"You'll understand when you're older, Ozai." The woman smiled, and she helped Ozai out of the bed and walked her out the room.

_That's...my brother. Iroh. _  
"Brother! How about a game of fireballs!" Iroh said, and grinned widely. Ozai agreed and as they ran to the courtyard, their mother shouted for them to be careful. "We will mother! I'll take care of Ozai!" Iroh gave a toothy grin.  
"Yeah! Iroh will take care of me! Don't worry!"

* * *

"He's sweatin' like a hell, Captain!"  
"How long more to dock?"  
"I'm afraid the weather's as bad as a rotten sea prune, Captain. We can't risk the storm in front."  
"Lower the anchor, boys! We're stoppin' till the storms fades away."

* * *

Iroh jumped up into the air and kicked. A small fireball emerged from his legs and it hit the dummy in front of him. Iroh got up and smiled, then told Ozai to do the same.

Ozai hesitated. His firebending was not as strong as Iroh's, but he knew that he can do it. Ozai moved forward and jumped. In mid-air, he did a roundhouse kick, but nothing but smoke came out from his feet. He sighed, face full of sadness and jealousy.

"Come on, Ozai. You've got to keep trying till you get it!" Iroh then jumped up again and kicked a fireball, this time bigger, and the dummy started to burn. A servant quickly poured water on the dummy, and walked away as they continued their game.

"No!" Ozai stood up, his hands crossed. "I can't do anything! This is a stupid game! Boooooo! I don't like fire and games, and I want my mommy!" As Ozai said that, the dummy started to burn as the cinders on it started to burn. Without realising it, the dummy had actually burnt to crisp and Iroh stood there, shocked.

"Wow, Ozai. You just did that!" Iroh jumped in joy and patted Ozai on the shoulder. "I knew you had firebending in you. You just didn't know how to use it." Ozai looked at the ground, albeit a bit shocked from what he had done. One of the servants came in and took the dummy away, and asked Iroh whether he wanted to have another one. Iroh said no. "Let's go tell daddy. Daddy will be very happy that your firebending has become so strong when you're so young."

"Alright! Let's go!"  
"Servant! Where's my father now?"  
"I'm afraid he's in the council room now, Prince Iroh. Both of you Princes will have to wait until his war meeting is over." The servant bowed and left the courtyard.

"Why is daddy always in meetings? He's so boring." Ozai sulked.  
"Daddy is fighting a war, Ozai. He has to be in those meetings. He's going to be the next firelord!" Iroh said.  
"Then, after he becomes firelord. Who's going to be the next one?"  
Iroh hesitated before saying, "I don't know. It's up to daddy's decision. Come on, let's go eat some fruit cakes!" Iroh pulled Ozai to the palace and they went on their way. But Ozai was not sastified with the answer, and over his childhood years he mulled over it whenever he had the spare time. Then after a few years, he had his own firebending teacher. He then decided to ask his private tutor about it.

"Sir, may I ask a question? It is abit... you know, sensitive."  
"If this is about how I got kicked out of my home by my wife seventeen times because I farted in the same room as her then no I will not answer your question." The man twitched his mustache.  
"That wasn't... okay, nevermind. I was wanting to ask you another thing." Ozai said.  
"Well? Spit it out, Prince."

"Who's going to be the next firelord after my father?"  
"Do you pay attention in your history class? The eldest son of course. You brother Iroh will ascend the throne, unless Firelord Azulon decides not to and allow you, which I highly doubt so." The teacher said, and ruffled Ozai's hair. "Don't worry too much about things too far for you to reach now, but rather focus on your firebending. You'll spar with Prince Iroh a few days later." Ozai nodded his head, and his face looked sunken and sad. He knew that Iroh should ascend the throne, but he also felt a tinge of envy and anger. He wanted it as much as his brother wanted it too, but he knew he couldn't even think of that.

_I was so greedy when I was young. I wanted so many._

As Ozai slowly walked into the large room, he felt the cold touch of the tiles beneath his feet. Not known to everyone, he was scared and afraid. He knew his brother would totally win this duel. Then he looked at the side. It was his father! His father sitting beside his mother Illah, and her face was frowning. However, Azulon looked totally at ease and relaxed.

This wasn't a spar. It was an Agni Kai.  
A large man stood in the middle and announced to the audience at the seats. "Ladies and gentlemen. We are honored to have our Firelord Azulon in our presence, and his wife Illah, who produced two magnificent sons! Let's cheer for them!" Everyone started applauding, then he continued. "This Agni Kai, as said by Azulon a few days before, will determine the heir to the throne! May the duel begin in flames and heat!" The man shot two fireballs from his hands to the left and right, and spat fire from his mouth. The fireballs sounded the gong, and he quickly left the scene and stood at the corner.

"I can't fight you, Iroh! We're brothers!" Ozai said.  
"I know very well you wanted the throne more than me, so this is a chance given to you by our father. Take it Ozai! Be who you want to be!" Iroh said and jumped up. A roundhouse kick was performed, and a swipe of fire was sent towards Ozai. Ozai dodged it by lying low, then he did a windmill move up to regain his posture. He slapped both hands together, and increased the size of the fire that he had shot during his windmill move, and Iroh jumped to the side.

"Nice move. I see you have been practicing!" Iroh said and ran towards Ozai, both of his hands clutching a kind of flaming dagger. Ozai dodged each of his swingings and slashes and stabs, then he pushed Iroh away and shot two fireballs at him.

Iroh saw the fireballs coming and did three backflips to the back and at the last one, he laid his body flat in midair and shot a larger fireball towards Ozai and engulfed the two fireballs easily. Ozai's wide-eyed in shock, then he stood there, his hands poised in front of his chest.

"What is that boy doing!" Azulon exclaimed.  
Ozai looked at Azulon, and nodded his head. The fireball reached his hands, but Ozai stepped back and stopped the fireball from moving. The fireball was still infront of him, not moving. He stamped his right foot infront of him and pushed the ball back at Iroh, who created a large fire shield to block it.

"That's... That's phenomenal! Your son is a prodigy, Firelord Azulon." The firebending master of Ozai said, and Azulon nodded his head in pleasure.

But Ozai had used up most of his energy, and he was tired. Sweat dripping from his back, his chest, his armpits, his legs and hands. Everywhere! He was hot and thirsty, but he had to end it now, when Iroh was still surprised.

Ozai kept punching fireballs at Iroh who was dodging it quickly, then Iroh jumped up and made a karate chop on the ground. The impact of his chop was not the main deal, but the two fire trails that blew up the tiles was it. Ozai was hit by one of the tiles in his chest and he flew to the back. Being a 14-year old boy with less training than his brother was not exactly advantageous. Then Iroh did something. His hands were not opened, and he only showed two fingers on each, his index and his middle fingers. He moved both hands in a circle, and Ozai saw something.

Electricity.

"How could you -" Ozai mumbled, and Iroh had built up a lot of it already. Ozai tried to stand, but he couldn't. His ribs were fractured and he was in immense pain. He saw his mother begging Azulon to stop, but Azulon was enjoying it all the same.

"Be quiet, wife. Your dear son Ozai is about to get shocked. Literally." Azulon laughed, and Illah walked out of the place.  
"I can't watch it anymore. If anything happens to Ozai, I will get you for this."

Then she heard a shout.

Iroh had shot his lightning at Ozai. And Iroh was cheering. All Ozai remembered was a faint cheering, and his mother crying out, and the servants pulling him out.

"Iroh wins! What a shocker for Ozai!" The large man said, and held Iroh's hand up. Iroh smiled and grinned.

_I was never meant for the throne, wasn't I?_

* * *

"Captain! He's awake!"  
"Get him some food and water! Give him the medicines!"

"Where am I?"  
"On a ship. You're safe. What the hell 'appened to you, mate? You was found in the big bad ocean!"  
"I...Thank you for saving me."


	28. Second Chances

_That's...Ursa. My dear wife. My love._

"Please, don't hurt him...My love." Ursa said, pleading Ozai. After that, they left with dust behind the carriage towards the Palace, and Ursa looked out of the window, her eyes glistening with tears. Ozai knew, that deep down in Ursa's heart, she still loved Ikem, and he would never have a place within hers. He sighed, and asked Ursa to calm down and relax.

"I don't want my father seeing you like this, Ursa. Please, for my sake." Ozai put a hand on Ursa's, and Ursa looked at him.  
"Alright, my love. Alright."  
"You're really beautiful, Ursa." Ozai smiled, and wiped the tears off her face, he then turned away and looked out of the window, leaving Ursa to her own thoughts.

_The wedding. This wedding should never have happened. Wait, is that my children?_

"Zuko!" Ozai slammed the table. "Do not interrupt your sister! Your sister is far more superior than you, Zuko. She's born lucky, but you're lucky to be born! Pathetic child!" Zuko winced, and tried not to cry.  
"Ozai! How could you scold your son like this! I'm taking his food to his room where he can eat in peace." Ursa took his bowl of rice and ordered a servant to bring some plates to his bedroom, and she walked Zuko to his bedroom. She sat Zuko down on the bed and put the rest of the food on the dresser.

"Your father doesn't mean that, Zuko. You know he can be abit troublesome sometimes."  
"Why does father always have to scold me instead of Azula? I'm always the one getting scolded! It's unfair!" Zuko started to cry and Ursa hugged him tightly. "I hate daddy! I hate him!"  
"Don't let him catch you saying that Zuko. If he does, he will banish you. But I won't let him do that. As long as mommy's around, you're safe."

_My son Zuko. My traitorous son. Hmph. Wait, this is the Agni Kai. _

"You have disrespected me, son."  
"No, father. I will not fight you! Forgive me, father! Please!"  
"If you don't learn respect, I will teach it to you!" And Ozai done it. He watched Zuko's eye get burnt, and he smiled as he watched the burn hurt Zuko. He then walked out of the Agni Kai chamber, and looked at one of the tiles. There were seven tiles that were newer than the rest, and he remember how he had been defeated by Iroh at this very chamber. He turned away and walked forward, nonchalant to the cries of Zuko. "Insolent child." He mumbled to himself, and he draped a robe over him and walked back to his throne.

Zuko, from that day on, walked around with a bandage over his eye. And one day, Ozai ordered him to meet him at his throne. Zuko entered the place hastily, and looked up Ozai with defiance.

"What is it, father?"  
"Tomorrow will be the first day of banishment, Zuko. Bring back the Avatar, and your honor will be restored." Ozai said.  
"I thought my banishment will be a few months later!"  
"Silence!" The burning flames in front of him suddenly grew larger in size as he augmented it with his rage. "When I say something, you say yes! One more protest and I will burn your _other _eye! Now leave mt presence, Zuko! You are no longer welcome!" Zuko turned back, tears coming from his other eye, and he walked out of the place. As he reached the entrance, Ozai said, "Your uncle, Iroh, will accompany you. Azula suggested that he should accompany you. You should be thankful that your sister pleaded me for you to have your uncle, Zuko. You are nothing like your sister." Zuko kept walking.

"So, I heard that you got banished, brother."  
"It's none of your concern, sister. And I don't care whether you pleaded my father for Uncle Iroh to accompany me or not. I'm not thankful!"  
"Oh, Firelord Ozai mentioned it? And please, Zuzu, its _our _father. I'm also his dearest daughter, remember? And you're welcome." Azula smiled and skipped away as Zuko became more furious. He turned away and walked back to his room.

The scene changed, and he saw Azula all alone in the courtyard.  
"Servants! I want all of you to remove the flowers here! They're all ugly and disgusting and revolting!"  
"But, Princess Azula, this is your father's courtyard, without his order we will..." Azula turned around with her palms burning with flames. "Yes, Princess Azula. I will find more servants to help in the demolishing."

Azula stormed off to sit on a bench, and she watched the servants quickly uproot some of the bushes and shrubs. The flowers were then thrown into a large wooden bin, and they carried it out of the courtyard.

"Azula! What are you doing!" Ozai exclaimed, as he quickly rushed to her.  
"Did that idiot tell you that I was about to destroy your courtyard?"  
"Azula! This is _my _courtyard, and I won't allow you to do this. Servants, stop! Replant the holes. Azula, I want you to come with me. Right. Now." Ozai walked away, and Azula slowly followed him. They entered the palace hall, and went into the throne room. Ozai sat on the throne and Azula knelt down, her face full of fear.

"You have been insolent, Azula!"  
"Father! I have not." Azula said while looking up at Ozai.  
"You have disrespected me, Azula. An Agni Kai will be -" Azula then stood up and swiped the air, two flame swipes appeared in the air and her eyes glistened with tears.

"You never loved me, Father. You never actually cared. All you care about was power, the throne and you kept to yourself all the time! You've never been to the dinners, you've never celebrated my birthdays, you've never done this and that you've never done anything!" Azula screamed.

"Silence! I will not tolerate any -"  
"Nobody loves me in this palace. No one." Azula ran out of the room as the flames behind grew larger until it reached the ceiling.

Azula went back to the courtyard, only to find Lo and Li standing over there.  
"We've been expecting you, Princess Azula."  
"What is it? Firebending training is over."  
Lo moved forward. "I've heard the argument between you and your father, Princess Azula."  
Li then continued. "So we've proposed a way for you to be stronger."

Azula wiped off her tears. "What is it? How?"  
Lo then looked up at the moon. "The world, without fire, is a cold and empty place. But do you know that flames can be cold too?" Azula shook her head. Li then continued. "Your inner fire must be cold and without emotion. You must be cold-blooded enough and cruel enough, and your fire will be so powerful and undefeatable by anyone."

"We've seen your potential, Princess Azula. You possess the cold inner fire within you."  
"We will train you, to learning that." Both of them said in unison.

"First. You have to be cold. Nonchalant. Hateful and spiteful. Furious."  
"The mix, will prove to be worthwhile." Lo and Li left the courtyard, and Azula stood there, not knowing what to do.

Then the scene changed once more, and Azula was chained on the drain, her fringe cut badly and her mouth spitting fire. She was crying and her eyes were filled with tears and hurt. Zuko was standing there, watching her go crazy.

_This must be how my daughter was brought down to heel. And how she went crazy._

The scene kept changing, and Ozai saw how Mai and Ty Lee betrayed Azula, and how Azula generated lightning and it was redirected by Zuko and Iroh. Then the scene became dark.

"I'm sorry for what I did...I'm a crazy person. Mother, I knew you thought I was a monster, and I knew I was. I'm sorry Mother. I'm sorry." Ozai saw Azula kneeling by a small pond, mumbling softly and shaking. There were many spirits around her, and most of them gathered around her and observing her. Then, the pond started to shake. The place trembled, and the spirits hid at the trees. A large four-faced being emerged, with shapes of faces floating around her.

"I have seen your sincerity, mortal. Your mother was Ursa, was it not?"  
"Yes..." Azula looked up at the spirit. "The Avatar said you appeared when your wolf spirit drank the water from a pond, but you will return only next year. How did you come here?"  
"I am eternal, just like the stars, moon and the sun. I appear when I want to, but when I appear in the annual cycle, I grant a wish. My power is limitless, but it is painful for me to shape a face from my own flesh." The spirit touched Azula's forehead with a finger, and a glow emerged from there.

"Do you wish a second chance, mortal?"  
"Yes. I wish there could be." Azula said.

Then there was darkness, and suddenly Ozai found himself being woken up by a sailor. "Get up, mate! The ship's in a hurricane now. Could you help us?"

Ozai got up and rubbed his eyes. "How?"  
"Pull the sails with me! One of the men was flung into the sea, so please, help us!"  
"I will." Ozai got out of the room with the sailor, and saw that the ship was almost filled with water. There many sailors shouting about, and some of them were struggling to steer the wheel along with the Captain. Some of the others were pulling the sails, and Ozai ran with the sailor to the top sail. They pulled it, and the sails were up. Large wind blew the ship, and the ship started to move so quickly out of the place. Then, lightning appeared.

Ozai saw the lightning quickly, and it was coming right towards the sailor beside him. Ozai pushed the sailor away and pointed a finger at the lightning. _Could I do it? _Ozai remembered how Iroh taught Zuko how to redirect lightning, and he absorbed the lightning within his chest. He felt chi overloading within him, and he shot the lightning out of his body to the ocean. The sailor then punched Ozai in the bicep and laughed. "You're one crazy bastard aren't ya!"  
"We're almost out of here! I could see the eye of the storm!"  
"All sail! Every last scrap of men on the deck! I want to go full speed!" Then there was a light hitting the sea. They reached the eye of the storm! They quickly steered to that area, and they watched rain and lightning pour everywhere. Ozai smiled.

_Perhaps I need a second chance too.  
_Ozai looked up into the sky, his eyes brimming with tears.  
_Thank you._


	29. Help from the Past

"Toph! Korra! Katara! Guys? Appa!" Aang stood up and cried out. His voice was loud, and somehow, it ruffled the forest below. Birds flew out from the forest, and he quickly made his way down the cliff he was standing on. He slid down the earth wall and he walked into the forest. It was similar to a swamp, and there was large gigantic tree. He looked around and found no one was with him. _This is weird._

He ran into the forest and swung from vine to vine, all while crying out each of the names in the Team Avatar. He even called out for Desna and Eska, which he didn't really know very well, and then he landed on a large branch. He squatted down, and tried to look around. The swamp waters below have started to release swamp gas, and he quickly moved, or else his sight would be obscured by it. Then he saw someone.

"Wait!" The person turned around.  
"Korra!"

"Aang? Wha- why- where are we?" Korra said and embraced the young Avatar. The brief reunion cheered them up, then they looked around the place. It was familiar but yet foreign to them. It was a place they've never been before, but they're in a place that they know.

"We're in the Spirit World!"  
"How?" Korra said, and touched the branch that she was touching. There was a glow, and suddenly she felt a strong pull from the north. Then she turned to Aang, who nodded and quickly jumped off to the next branch. Korra followed him. Both Avatars sensed each other, and Aang, who was more spiritually strong and hence he had a better sense of where the pull came from. Aang then suddenly leapt down the branch, and landed on the ground. Korra did the same.

Aang picked himself up, and started to walk.  
"You shouldn't have done that, you can't airbend here."  
"I didn't do that. Something made me." Aang said, and turned around to look at the tree he jumped off. There was small white bird standing atop the branch, and it cawed out loudly. It then flew forward and took a sharp left, disappearing behind thick tree trunks.

"Follow it!"  
"Alright, Aang. Wait for me!" They both chased the white bird, and at closer inspection, it bore resemblance to a pure white version of a parrot. The parrot flew up, and the Avatars scaled a tree to reach it. The bird cawed once more and continued forward, this time landing on tree branches adjacent to the Avatar. It indicated where they should jump, and at one time the parrot skipped one.

Korra didn't see it, and jumped on that branch. The branch snapped.  
"Ah!"  
Aang turned around and grabbed Korra's hand just in time, and he pulled her up the branch. They then continued their pursuit.

"I can feel it, it's much stronger." Aang said, and the parrot then flew up into the sky and vanished.  
"This is the end?" Korra said. It was a giant pond with green waters, and there were algae at the bottom. Then they looked up.

"It's Wan Shi Tong's library?!" Aang said, and they found their way up the library. They then entered the library, and Wan Shi Tong was there in the middle of the walkway. It looked at them condescendingly.

"You broken my promise. I'm here to tell you that."  
"We didn't, Wan Shi Tong!" Aang said. Korra added, "We didn't use anything here!"

Wan Shi Tong then pecked at Aang, which made them scramble to the back. It then turned around and moved one of its wing to point to the top of the library. "You found my greatest trove of knowledge, and used it to fight. Used it for war." The large owl spat on the walkway, and turned back to look at Korra.

"You used my knowledge. I felt the time shift under my feet, and felt my wings age and my eyes blinding. I felt everything, Korra. I heard the foxes telling me that Shi had been found by both of you. And the fox that told you this..._became dinner_." Wan Shi Tong cried out and continued, but was interrupted by Korra.

"Suck a muzzle, Wan Shi Tong! Unalaq had to be defeated, and how do we do that on our own! If he gains control of the world, he will also destroy the Spirit World. _That was how he opened the Southern Portal._" Wan Shi Tong looked visibly shocked, even if his facial expression was the same, as he started to pace back and forth, considering this. Then he stopped and flapped its wings once, producing a gust of wind which blew them up to where Shi's room is.

"Unalaq will be here soon. I will see for myself." Wan Shi Tong said, and flew down the library, vanishing from sight.  
"Unalaq's with that stupid owl! That puffed up son of -" Korra said, stamping her feet on the ground.  
"Easy on the words, Avatar Korra. Perhaps Shi can help us?" Aang said, remembering the time-glove, and Korra sensed his thoughts too.  
"That's right! Perhaps we could use it somehow."

Korra and Aang walked up to the large door, and knocked on it. Before their knuckles reach the door surface, the door swung opened and they found Shi sitting on a chair. He was injured badly, and he seems to have broken legs and arms.

"Shi! What happened to you!" Korra said, and even she couldn't bear to touch the man. Shi smiled.  
"I can no longer time bend anymore. Wan Shi Tong knew that I had taught you a forbidden art, and he... let's just say he blocked all my chakras, and he permanently removed my 6th chakra, in the mind. I lost everything." Shi's eyes glimmered for a while, then he looked at them. "You have to get out of here. I know everything that has happened. Unalaq will win this war. I confirmed that when I went forward to the future to get a glimpse. I was not exactly...pleased."

"But then... It can't be! Unalaq must be destroyed. Forever!" Korra said. Aang nodded his head vehemently.  
"Then you will have to rewrite history yourself." Shi said. "Take the time-gloves. Place it on me, and revert the age of my bones and everything else."

"Why didn't you fight Wan Shi Tong?" Aang said as he searched for the Time-Glove in the drawers. "You could've escaped by stopping him, or perhaps going to the past?"  
"Unalaq came."

Both of the Avatars each had a hand in the time-glove, and they put their hands on Shi. A sharp green glow emerged from the glow, and Shi's eyes glowed a bright green. Then, he stood up.

"Give me the time-glove. I will transport you back to a time where this person's help is important to you."  
"Let's hope it's someone powerful."  
"Don't worry about that, Korra. She is very powerful. Aang would know it."

Aang pointed to himself and mouthed "Me?", but Shi did not say further. He pushed both Avatars together, and slowly moved her arms around in circular fashion. Green glow appeared,and slowly there was a green whirlpool. There was great vibration of the place, and soon enough, Wan Shi Tong burst through the doors with his foxes. Wan Shi Tong cawed loudly.

"Avatars! You have been overbearing! It's time!" Wan Shi Tong said, and then a man stepped in.  
"Unalaq!" The three avatars said in reunion. But there was no turning back or fighting. The whirpool stabilised to form a portal, and Aang and Korra quickly jumped through after some hesitating.

"Just go. They can never find you." And the portal closed. What happened to Shi on that day, it was never recorded and never known.

* * *

"Ahhhhh!"  
The Avatars landed on a tree, and the branch snapped and they quickly dropped to a bush. Some birds flew out from the bushes and treetops, then they quickly stood up. There was bright glow from afar, and Korra helped Aang up.

"Look at that!" Aang said. Korra nodded her head and they both went after to the source of the light. Then, they realised the source of the light was a large four-faced spirit with thousands of masks around it. "The Mother of Faces..." Aang said, and Korra looked at her, not knowing what he was talking about. Then they saw the spirit touch a person near the pond she was in, and there was a glow.

"Do you wish for a second chance, mortal?"  
"Yes, I wish there could be." The person said.  
"Then, that would be my final grace. I will no longer enter the mortal world, and I will rest at the Spirit World eternally." The spirit moved her hand away. Then pointed to the two Avatars slowly walking towards the person. "Your chance, lies in them. May fortune favor you, young Azula." The spirit sunk into the pool in an instant, the place grew brighter. All the Spirits that were in the forest followed the Mother of Spirits, and they dived into the pool. The forest grew even brighter, and the Avatars looked up to see that it was just sunrise.

"Azula?"  
"We've travelled back in time." Aang said. Aang walked forward to Azula, and noticed how swollen and red the Princess's eye was. Aang wiped away some remaining tears on the Princess, and Korra moved forward to pull her up. Azula looked at Korra, then turned to Aang.

"Who's this water-tribe girl? She looks like your girlfriend, just... less wimpy." Azula said.  
"She's Korra. She's...I'll explain when we get there." Aang said. "But for now, we need your help."  
"Oh, so now the Avatars need my help. How honored. How do I help?" Azula said, and wiped off the water and dirt from her hair.  
"Your father has escaped, and a new Avatar, the Dark Avatar, is using him to destroy the world. Of the future." Aang said.  
"Ozai is off for another adventure again. And the adventure is still destroying the world. How normal for him." Azula said, and touched the pond's water. She cupped her hands and drank the pond water, then gulped it down in sastifaction.

"Being out here all alone is worse than being insane, Avatars. It's a wonder that my mother's boyfriend survived here." Azula said. Then she started jumping around and shooting firebolts at the trees then pointed to the water. "Mother! How could you I-"  
"Azula stop!" Aang said while Korra coiled in shock.  
"Just joking, baldie. I figured perhaps I could do this to Zuko. His reaction would be _priceless._ So, how do we actually _get there_?"  
"Well..." When Aang was rubbing his bald head, the same small white parrot that led them to the library in the Spirit World appeared, and it dived into the pool and vanished. "It's Lee-lee Parroty-White!" Aang exclaimed.  
"Do you come up with the nicknames, Aang?" Korra said.  
"It's normally Sokka. I can't come up with anything. Well, let's follow it!" Aang then quickly jumped into the pool but then resurfaced. "Oh, Azula can't _waterbend._"

Azula then generated electricity in her fingers. "You want me to _bend the water_ with my _lightning _instead?! Now if you guys are going down there, you guys got to give me some air."  
"No, I think we have to follow what the bird exactly did." Korra said. "Dive down without any bending." Azula nodded her head after some hesitating, then both Korra and her dived into the pond. Aang followed them, and with some struggling, they managed to see that there was hole in the bottom of the pool. But it closed when there was bending.

Korra was hit by some fish, and it shock she bent the water. The hole closed, with the earth moving like clay, but it opened wide like a hollow oak tree trunk. It was deep, but they continued diving. Azula reached the hole first, and Aang reached it later on. Korra then tried to see what was inside, but then suddenly she was sucked in. Aang and Azula then were also sucked in, and after a brief moment of pitch-black darkness, they found themselves by the beach.

"Air Temple Island! I can feel its sand on my skin. And the crabs PINCHING ON MY LEG!" Korra jumped up and hopped around while trying to pluck out the pincers of the small crab on her legs, then she used some of the water from the ocean to freeze its pincer, then she broke the pincer off. The crab dropped on the ground and scampered away.

"You're so cruel." Azula said. "Now, care to explain why my hair is full of sand, and why am I facing a giant headless statue of some kind of air monk like this boy over here?" She pointed to the large Aang statue in the middle of the sea, which unfortunately had its head severed off my Ozai.

"Your father's work." Aang said, standing up.  
Aang pulled Azula up and Azula said, "Typical." Then Korra ran up to them and pointed to a large ice boat the she had made from the sea's waters. "We're boarding that?"  
"Don't worry, it won't freeze your bum off, Princess." Korra said, and they helped Azula onto the boat. Then Aang and Korra moved the waters at the end of the boat, and the boat sped forward with haste. They reached the jetty in no time and they found Tenzin, Lin and team Avatar standing there.

"Where have you been, father- I mean Aang? And Korra you! Both of you should be back here a few hours ago! You got me-_us_, worried sick!" Aang said, blowing his top.  
"Relax, Tenzin. We just brought some additional power for our team." Aang then walked up to them beside Azula. Azula then smiled, and looked at Zuko.

Team Avatar quickly assumed their fighting pose, and Zuko spoke. "Azula! Why are you here!"  
"Relax, Zuzu. And all of you. If Zuko had a chance to betray my father, perhaps I can too." Azula then walked up to Zuko and suddenly turned around, shooting lightning into the sea and screaming out why her mother had thought that she was a monster. Zuko shouted 'Stop!' and quickly went to Azula, trying to shake off her madness. Lin proposed to arrest her, but Zuko said otherwise. Azula continued, and Aang giggled by the side with Korra. Nobody noticed them as they were too busy watching Zuko subduing Azula.

Then Zuko knelt down and gave a tight hug to Azula, who instantly stopped.  
"It was joke, Zuzu. That wasn't... the reaction I was hoping for."  
"Just hug me you idiot." Azula slowly wrapped her arms around her brother, and they embraced.

"Newsflash! The two siblings have finally become siblings!" Sokka said. Then he turned to Katara. "Let's hug." Katara pushed off him off into the sea, and as the sun set, everyone watched the two siblings reconcile.


	30. Fuel for Life

"When's the ship coming that heads to Ba Sing Se?"  
"Two more days, mate. Ya gotta wait a bit longer. Why not head to my brother's inn to have a rest?" The man then inched forward to Ozai. "Mates on that frigate say you saved their asses from that hurricane out there, and when a rescued man thanks by saving his rescuer, he's my mate! My brother will welcome you. You're free to stay till the ship comes, mate!" Ozai bowed, giving him the fire nation bow with the base of his hand over his fist, then he walked away. Then he walked towards the large Eastern-roof inn. He felt the strangeness of everything here, and how he never mingled with his countrymen like this.

"Two more days. Just two more days. I'm coming."

* * *

"Alright, so fill me in of your plan water-tribe boy." Azula said crossed-arms. Toph bent the metal below her to grapple her legs and made Azula lose her balance. Azula then turned back to glare at Toph, who was smiling. "Fine. _Sokka_."

"Whatever, Azula." Then Sokka continued, then he turned to everything. "But there is a change of plans. I adjusted my plan to fit the day of Red Moon. Apparently, according to some of the citizens here, the lunar eclipse is going to happen either tomorrow or two days later."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?!" Korra said.  
"I just learnt it today! So we have to set off by dawn, or we will never reach Ba Sing Se in time for the eclipse."  
Lin stepped forward. "Are you sure about this, Republic City will be vulnerable."  
"It will be vulnerable, but Unalaq will not attack there. Something compels him to attack Ba Sing Se instead." Sokka said.  
"Let's hope this bunch of misfits actually succeed in this plan." Lin said and walked out of the room. Then she turned around to say, "And for the record, your disguises aren't working very well, _Sokka_. I'll see all of you at the docks at midnight."

As Lin closes the door and struts away, Sokka then turned to Korra.  
"She KNOWS?!"  
"Well, I have to agree with her. Your fake beard doesn't cut it." This caused some laughs from Katara and Aang, who were completely off their disguises. Toph then said, "I think you look totally different!"

"Thanks Toph I really - You're one mean blind girl. Hmph!" Toph smiled, then walked out of the room. Tenzin then agreed with Sokka's plans, and he walked out.

"After this war I'm going to take a very long vacation." Tenzin mumbled something about how Aang's appearance shocked his eyeballs off, and he has been trying to contain his shock from the beginning to the end of the war.

"What's up with your son?" Sokka said and elbowed Aang. Then he looked at Katara and grinned. "You guys must have been busy. Considering you had two more children."

"Two MORE?" Aang and Katara said in unison. Sokka said that they were outside and they quickly sped off to find them. Then Sokka looked at Suki and smiled. "How about we have three children. Huh?" Suki then shook her head, which left Sokka very disappointed. Azula then left the room with Zuko, who said that they were going to take walk, but Azula refused Zuko's company and went out on her own.

The rest of them left the room, and Sokka sat down on the wooden chair, exasperated on how to continue with his plans. His battle plan wasn't exactly that perfect, but he knew that he could do a better job than the day of Black Sun. That, was the day of failure for him. He was reminded of how his father was imprisoned and humiliated by the Warden, and remembered how he failed to protect him. He won't allow it this time. He won't. The Day of Red Moon will be the Day of Victory. He smiled, and started writing.

* * *

"Well well, what do we have here. Two little kids running around on your own." Bumi said before going 'tsk tsk' over Aang and Katara.  
"They're your parents, Bumi." Kya said, chiding.  
"Well, right now our mother's sitting in her igloo, and my dad's somewhere in the clouds... Well then, I've got two sets of parents! If only you were _a little bit _older..." Bumi said and walked to Aang. "How old are you right now?"  
"One hundred and twelve years old!" Aang said. "And how old are you?"  
"Less than half of your age, oldie!" Bumi laughed and walked off to the pier. Kya then asked their, well, parents, to walk to the pier with them. Katara then walked with Kya and talked to her.

"So, how was I like being a mother?"  
"Well, sometimes you don't allow me to do this and that, and one time Bumi fell on the snow and scraped his leg you told me that Bumi should fall more so he could stop running... But generally you're a kind and caring person." Kya lips went in a half-smile at her own sarcasm, then turned around. "Kindness is in your heart, mother. I'm lucky you taught me that."  
"Being called a mother right now... I'm not used to it just yet." Katara said. They continued their stroll down the pier and watched Aang rush up to Bumi.  
"You'll have to. And I have to thank you for being such a great healer. You taught me so much!"  
"You're a waterbender! Wow. That's amazing! What about Bumi?" Katara said.  
"He's an aloof and crazy non-bending old man. _And_ a retired general. Haha-haha."

"So...Bumi right?"  
"What up, dad?" Bumi said without looking at the befuddled looking airbending monk.  
"So...what do you think of me being a father?"  
"Oh! I've been waiting for you to ask that." Bumi then walked up to a bench, and they both sat down. "You see, this goes a long long way."

* * *

_When I was born, you expected me to be an airbender. But I wasn't. You weren't disappointed though, but you taught me that people's lives are sacred and how I should treasure it. When Kya was born, Katara was so happy, but you were... visibly less. When I was older, I was given less care. Kya too. You were so busy with Republic City, your family came last._

"Where's daddy?" _I asked my mother._  
"He just went off to the Republic City." _My mother patted me on the head, and asked me to eat dinner. I was very sad. I was longing to show you how I was able to do two backflips without falling, but you went off even without saying goodbye. I thought to myself that perhaps it was an emergency, and I was not that sad anymore. _

"Daddy!" _When you returned, I was so happy. And you were happy too. Even though 'crazy things happened back there' was written so clearly on your face, you were actually joyful, happy and excited to see us. Kya and I were also feeling that way too. Then you started to take care of us yourself, and we felt love and kindness. You taught us many things on life, and how we should learn from the experiences from others. I learnt all of it, and still remembered every single lesson we had with you._

_Then your most happiest moment occurred. Tenzin was born. A nice, little airbender. You loved him so much that you taught him all the ways and philosophies of airbending monks, and in the end Tenzin succeeded you in the council after your... passing. _

_One thing's for sure, you never actually had one hundred percent of care for all of us. I know its hard but, constantly having _"Tenzin's so good at his bending!" _and _"Tenzin needs a break from all of you naughty children!"_ or _"Katara, Tenzin and I are going on a vacation to visit an air temple." _And you never taken us on any vacation. Tenzin refuses to believe this, I don't know why, but we know you didn't._

_I joined the United Forces, protecting the people. I hope I done you proud, dad._

* * *

"I know I shouldn't be ranting, but- I've been waiting to say this, and now I have a chance." Bumi then looked away to the sea. "Dad, when you become father later on, don't try to change everything by caring for me or Kya more, but do exactly the same. If you didn't do this, Kya and I wouldn't be like this now. I wouldn't be a contented person, and Kya wouldn't be so wise and caring."

"Bumi..." Aang then put a hand on Bumi's hand. "You know, even if you're my son for a few hours from just now, I'm proud of you."  
"You are?"  
"I am. Everyone is." Bumi then leapt up in joy and started jumping around.

"Now let's go get some iceballs, dad! I've been itching to eat that since my last visit." Kya and Katara watch from a distance, the father and son run off a distance. They rejoiced in their hearts, and started to stroll back to their homes, chattering away in bliss.

* * *

"I'm never going to do it!" Sokka walked to the park and ranted softly to himself. He then slumped down on a marble bench, brain-tired from all the thinking. "Oh no, I have to think on the way to Ba Sing Se... It's gonna be tough! I can't do it!"

"You have to, you know." Upon hearing this voice, Sokka jumped up and took out his boomerang, pointing it wildly in all directions.  
"Who goes there?"

Then lightning struck out from the bushes and hit the pond, which made Sokka jump in fright. Azula then appeared out from the shrubs and started to laugh. "I love being me."

"That's it! Lightning! I'll expand on this later on." Sokka snapped his fingers as a candle was lit above his head and an idea formed in his mind. This made Azula look at him as if he was insane, and crossed her arms.

"So, what's the Princess doing here, all _alone_?" Sokka said and elbowed Azula. This made Azula shove Sokka down on the marble bench, and she sat down beside him. "Hey! My butt hurts!"

"I don't know." As Azula says this, she lit up some of the torches and lanterns around the bridge and the tall metal posts around the area, which illuminated the park brightly in blue. Sokka was amazed, and Azula continued. "Since I changed sides, I still felt deep stirring emotions within me."

"That's the first time I ever heard you having problems, Azula." Sokka said.  
"Deep down inside me, I wish I was like you. I wished I had _problems_. I wish I had..._ life_." Azula's eyes brimmed with tears, and some of the tears started to roll down her cheeks. "It's just- I've never felt any- _love_." Azula then looked Sokka. "My whole life, without love."  
"Not even from your father?"  
"Not _even_ from my father." Azula turned away, then Sokka put his hands on Azula's shoulders. Azula turned around in confusion, and before she could shake his hand off Sokka put his hand up to Azula's cheeks and wiped the tears off with his fingers. "What- what are you doing, water tribe boy?" One of the torches around the area turned orange.

"Don't cry over the past. That's what was taught to me in my adventures." Sokka said. "When my father, during the day of Black Sun, was captured. I was so sorry for myself and I was furious at how my plan didn't go as planned. I blamed myself. But right now, I can't do anything about it since my father had returned, and to build some pride back in me, I had to protect everyone. Even you, Azula. I had to protect you."  
"No wonder you were crying over your plans like some wuss that you are." Azula said, wiping off her tears. She turned around. Another lantern turned orange.  
"Hmph." Sokka then put his hand on Azula's thighs and Azula inched forward.

A few lanterns around the bridge turned orange as they inched closer.  
"Azula, I never thought -"  
"And _I _-" Both of them said together, and as they grew closer, the lamp posts lit the area up brightly in orange and yellow flames. Then, the last blue flame extinguished, and an orange flame lit up the torch it was on as their lips touched for the first time.

* * *

"Leaves from the vine." A liuqin string was plucked from far away.  
"Falling so slow." Waves crashed against the rocky shores.  
"Like fragile tiny shells, drifting in the foam."  
"Little soldier boy." A breeze blew and rustled the leaves of the mulberry tree.  
"Come marching home."  
"Brave soldier boy, comes marching home." The liuqin stopped playing, and a man behind started clapping.

"You play the liuqin well, mate."  
Ozai turned around and bowed, appreciating the man's applause. He walked up to the man, and handed him back the liuqin.  
"Sorry for taking it down your display. I... wanted to play it. To remind me of old times."  
"No, mate. Keep the liuqin. A man like you should have something to accompany you on your journey."  
Ozai shook his head, and put the liuqin into the arms of the man. "I won't be able to use it." Ozai smiled, and walked back to the inn with the man.


	31. Plans

"Good luck! May fortune favor you, mate!"  
Ozai nodded his head, and carrying his pouch of things given by the innkeeper as staple belongings, he boarded the ship. The ship sailed out of the dock soon later, and Ozai watched his rescuers waved at him, and he waved back, smiling widely. The sails were raised, and the ship left the pier.

* * *

"Has anyone seen Azula?" Zuko said.  
"She's coming. Soon." Sokka said while combing his hair back and tying it the ends to a wolf-tail.  
"Why are you... like this?" Suki said, while looking at how sweaty Sokka was.  
"Azula and I had a...short duel. To settle some things."  
"And I won of course." Azula said as she walked towards Sokka. Then she put her arm on Sokka's right shoulder. "This water-tribe boy is no match for a totally perfect Fire Nation Princess." Sokka said, 'whatever' and walked to the large ship that they were supposed to board.

"Did Azula just... lie?" Toph said to Aang. Aang then said, "Lie about what?"  
"About the winning thing. I think this has much more to do than dueling."  
"You think that they -" Aang said, then Toph nodded. Aang then walked away to the ship with Katara, Bumi, Kya and Tenzin after Tenzin assured his children that he will return. Then Suki spoke.

"Since when did you guys become so... you know?"  
"Sokka's my bitch now, _Makeup warrior._" Azula laughed and walked to the ship with Zuko, who was also questioning her on her sanity, but Azula laughed it off. Suki then told Sokka to stay away from Azula, who nodded and kissed Suki's cheeks. Suki smiled and they walked to the ship. Then Lin appeared.

"Alright, my teams of metalbending police have set off for Ba Sing Se a long, long time ago. I'm going there to lead them, but one of you have to stay here to lead my team." Lin said.  
"But, why don't you appoint a temporary leader?" Mako said.  
"Well then, you will lead the team." Lin said and shoved Mako to the back.  
"I can't go with them? What if Korra meets an accident? What if something happens to Bo? What if -"  
"Just joking with you, lover boy. I this guy, Haru, as the leader for awhile. In the meantime, take care to minimise the number of _deaths_ that my team suffers. Alright guys?" Having said that, Lin walked to the ship and went into the Captain's Cabin to meet with Sokka, who was discussing his plan.

In the cabin, Sokka was announcing his plan.  
"Just in time, Lin!" Tenzin said.  
"No hurry."

"Alright. Korra introduced me to this fine lady here, Asami." Asami bowed, and Sokka continued. "I do believe some of you may have been acquainted with her already, so I shall not continued with the introductions."

* * *

_According to my plans, we will have to guard not the outer wall, but the inner walls of Ba Sing Se. Note that the Outer Wall would be left completely unguarded, then when Unalaq enters the inner wall with his forces, we will strike him down!_

"What if he comes earlier?" Lin said.

_That was what I considered. In the event that the lunar eclipse OCCURS after the battle or ENDED before he comes, I have devised a plan. Asami, care to explain?_

"Well, basically, Future Industry has manufactured very large amounts of giant gloves that the Equalists used before this, the gloves that can generate electricity and shock. But now, these gloves have been tailored specifically for those who are non-benders, and they can _bend _lightning from the glove. It comes from a charged battery within, and it takes only two seconds to charge up and fire."

_I got this idea from Azula's lightning. Lightning in the water is fatal, and this can be used against Unalaq, who will be bending water. And even lightning to the body is powerful enough to hurt the person very badly. So, the gloves work like this, two fingers like how you would generate lightning for those firebenders round here, then move them in a circular fashion to form a circle, once it has charged up, you release it at your opponent. We already have all the metalbending police be outfitted with that, and they can also shoot lightning too. Just be careful not to shoot lightning at those metallic men by accident._

_Every Ba Sing Se citizen will go to an underground bunker under Lake Laogai. The bunker was rebuilt by Toph in the past, well, for fun, The metalbending police there may have also finished the construction, and most citizens will go there. Those who cannot, or are too stuck-up to go, they will take refuge in the Palace Basement. The battle will cause mass destruction, and most of the city will be destroyed._

"So, what if he doesn't come?"

_Then we will have a really big problem. To prevent that, I have also ordered precautionary measures to be given to every single nation. They have understood, and I hope they will comply by hiding out in their bunkers during this two-day period. _

"Then, where do the Avatars come in? And the other people?"

_I will assign your roles later on. For the Avatars?_

* * *

"They'll just end this war."

* * *

Unalaq walked around the cave. This was rumored to be the Cave Of Two Lovers, and as he walked, he felt strange energies emerging from the walls. There was little water here, but with a twist of his wrist he condensed the air and drank the water. He was thirsty and tired, and above all that, he was frustrated. He decided that the only way to fulfill his objective was to cause mayhem. He put down his bag, and opened it. There was a great amount of water in his bag, and he was relieved that he did not have to carry it anymore. He bent all the water within, and started to hit the walls and roof with it, blasting it with such velocity.

There was roar.

He stood his ground, and suddenly thousands of wolfbats flew towards him, but the did not attack him and avoided him. Unalaq was confused. Then he knew why.

The tunnel in front of him suddenly burst open, and Unalaq dodged the flying rocks. There it is.

"My prize."

The badgermole sniffed the air around it and another badgermole emerged from the rock wall. Both them sniffed, and they were aware of the presence of Unalaq. And they knew he was hostile. Unalaq was ready, and his eyes glowed a dark purple. The water he controlled turned blood crimson, and he fired it at one of the badgermoles. It hit the blind animal hard, and it howled in pain. The other badgermole sensed where Unalaq was, then fired rocks, but stopped immediately and started to sniff.

Unalaq had risen into the air with a red waterspout, and it was enough to distort the senses of the badgermoles. He laughed, and channelled the rest of the water at the already hurt badgermole. It started to howl again.

The hurt badgermole squealed, and ran forward, knocking all the earth walls down. Unalaq was not going to give up that easily, and with a flick he flung the other badgermole aside, and went for the escaping one. He blasted the earth apart, and followed its trail. The tunnel was winding, but within him, Vaatu was giving him the directions.

"Where are you, you little blind beast?!" Unalaq yelled, and his eyes glowed a dark purple. It was continuous, and the whole cave started to shake. Millions and millions of wolfbats flew out from their hiding spots and places and started to escape, but as they reached Unalaq they all dropped down onto the ground, dead. Unalaq drew out all the blood and water from the wolfbats, and created a large water-and-blood sphere to cover him.

The sphere was so powerful. It knocked down all the walls, and as the other badgermole was trying to chase him, Unalaq was moving forward, sensing the escaping one. Then he found it. Just right above him. With his wrists moving about like a puppetmaster, he moved the badgermole, and it bent the earth to land onto him, and then it dropped onto the ground.

It was slain.

"It's not enough!" Unalaq turned around to look at the squealing badgermole. He then expanded the sphere, and suddenly his eyes was wide, as if being struck by a temporary insanity, and it then narrowed back to its normal size. The badgermole started to move towards Unalaq, and then, crimson red blood was slowly drawn out from its mouth and any other openings that it had. The life of it was literally oozing out of it. Then, it dropped down, not moving.

Both badgermoles started to glow green, and they slowly distintegrated into thin air like dust, blown by the wind. Unalaq's glow turned green, and his Avatar State was cancelled. He knelt down on the ground, feeling a surge of power course through his veins. Then, the glow vanished. Unalaq stood up, and walked throughout the tunnel and looked up to the ceiling. Then he adopted a firm stance on the ground, and his feet twisted. Then he punched his hands into the earth, and he slowly rose up to the ceiling, the earth rising as pillars. The earth above him caved in as he moved up, and eventually he left the cave, appearing at the top of the giant mountain. He looked far and wide, and squinted.

"Ba Sing Se." He saw a large city, surrounded by two walls.  
"It's time for a second conquering, don't you think?"

As he walked away, he laughed. He had done the worst thing he could ever done.

And he gained the power, to earthbend.


	32. The Day of Red Moon: Part 1

Unalaq leapt across the walkway and skipped around, avoiding the breath of fire from the two dragons. If that wasn't enough, there were more aboriginals at the foot of the staircase, each of them firing a ball of flames towards him. Unalaq knew he couldn't handle them any longer just by dodging, and even if he could wait till midnight, he might not reach his pinnacle of his bloodbending. It was still new to him right now.

Then he stamped his foot on the ground. He vaguely remembered how the blind girl in the new Team Avatar had fought, and he felt it. There were so many vibrations, but he felt the correct ones. With a bit of split-second focus, he closed his eyes and sunk the entire staircase to the ground. As the staircase sunk, the men at the bottom were also enveloped by the cloud of dust. Their sight was obscured.

The two dragons twisted and turned before combining their flames to form a giant tornado of pink and white fires, and they channeled it towards Unalaq. Unalaq saw this, and he covered himself in an armor of earth, and he felt the flames almost tearing away the rocks on his body. He then exploded the armor of earth, and flung all of them towards the impending blue dragon. The dragon dodged it, but Unalaq smiled.

He stamped his foot one more time on the ground, and made the cave that the dragons had dwelled collapsed, leaving the two dragons exposed and without a place to hide. The earth walls around him also started tumbling down, and the dragons flew up into the air to avoid the rocks and boulders. A dark glow was seen in Unalaq's eyes, and every single piece of pebble, rock, boulder or anything that contained a bit of earth in that area were levitated and flung towards the dragons. The dragons were hit, and they dropped to the ground, injured badly.

The cloud of dust cleared a bit, and one of the aboriginals fired a large volley of flame towards him. Unalaq blocked it with a large earth wall just by moving his arms up, and he pushed the wall towards the man who fired that flame. There were sounds of bones cracking and he smiled. _The sound of pain and hurt made him so happy. _"Am I sadistic for being happy at your pain?" Unalaq laughed, and coughed momentarily as he inhaled in the dust. He then leapt into the air and rose up high into the air as his feet was pushed up by tall rock pillars.

He yelled. "The Dark Avatar is here to destroy all of you! Face my wrath!" The sound of Vaatu and Unalaq were together in unison as they said that, and in just a second the pillar was sunk on the ground. All of the aboriginals below were flung away by the impact, and most of they died on the spot. He turned his attention towards the dragons, who were struggling to escape.

"When I slayed the badgermoles, I absorbed their earthbending abilities, and they were masters of it. What better way to gain another bending art than to _take it _from the first benders?" Unalaq said as he walked towards the blue dragon, which was bleeding profusely. Its eyes looked at Unalaq with contempt and fury, but there was nothing it could do.

"Don't worry, it will be over in a second. I'll make sure to be the least painful." Unalaq eyes glowed, and he touched the dragon's head. It squirmed, then it stopped moving. It accepted its fate. Unalaq closed the eyelids of the dragon, and felt the blood coursing through the dragon slowly stopping. He clenched his fists tightly, and all the blood stopped.

He held its blood of a second.  
Two.  
Three seconds.  
Four.  
Five seconds.  
A minute passed.  
Two minutes.

And the dragon's gone. The blue dragon was dead. He then turned to the red dragon, who was spitting fire everywhere, and some of it cindered Unalaq's clothes.

"Yours, will be the longest, and most unbearable."

The dragon's howl of pain travelled across the earth and reached Ba Sing Se, but everyone thought it was just another slaughtering of the pigs at the market.

Oh, it was slaughter alright. Some slaughter it was.

* * *

"You know, the Dai Li here still hadn't changed a bit, still wearing their goofy hats and all..." Sokka said as he looked at the every single Dai Li member, all gathered and ready to hear Sokka's speech. Sokka coughed, then started to speak. He told them of his plan, and as he went on, the others were busy preparing their defenses. The whole city was empty and every single citizen has already escaped into the bunker. Other citizens who were proficient earthbenders had stayed.

"Are you sure we're going to win, Twinkletoes?" Toph said while picking her nose.  
"I don't know." Aang looked out of the window. They were in the Palace, discussing the news, but Aang and Toph took a breather as they went back to their rooms. Toph decided to go to Aang's room instead.

"Stop being such a pushover, you've got to have some confidence!" Toph said and punched Aang's arm.  
Aang rubbed his arm. "I'm just being realistic, Toph. These men and women all depend on me, and I have to do a good job. I have to finish my job. I have to -" Aang was stopped as Toph planted her lips on his. Aang closed his eyes, and together they were in their minute of passionate kissing. Toph wrung her hands around Aang, and Aang wrung his hands around her waist. Toph then released her lips.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have -" Toph said, and started to blush.  
"It's okay, Toph." Aang said, and both them turned away, not wanting to face each other.  
"You're with Katara, so... I can't."  
"I'm sorry, Toph." Aang smiled, and hugged Toph. "I'm sorry I didn't know, Toph."  
"You hollow-headed monk." Toph giggled as Aang ruffled her hair. "I just have to do it, Twinkletoes. In case, I can't do it anymore. I don't want to die with regrets."

"Let's hope no one dies. Or at least not me or you." Aang then walked out of the room with Toph, and they saw that Katara and everyone else were heading out. Katara told them to get out of the Palace as the war horn was sounded across the city, and at the sight of Katara, both of them gasped a bit.

"Is something bothering both of you?" Katara said.  
"Nothing!" Aang shook his head violently and sped out of the place, and Toph just walked forward.  
"Your boyfriend's a bit hollow in the head, I think. Let's go kick some butt!" Toph smiled and ran out of the palace.

"Something is out there. I can feel it." Aang readied his stance on top of the walls, and Korra was also ready. There were thousands of soldiers on the wall, by the foot of the wall and around the city.

"I can see that, Aang. Look at those dark clouds!" Sokka said and pointed to the sky. A loud rumble was heard.  
"Is that your stomach, Bo?" Mako said.  
"I eaten so many noodles just now! I don't think so." Bolin said, rubbing his stomach.

"Get ready, boys. The fun's about to start." Lin said.

* * *

"Watch out!" Mako said and created a large fire shield to block the incoming ice spikes that were shot to the top of the walls. Korra stepped up and reversed the direction of the ice spikes.

"Oh my." Suki gasped.  
"Please don't tell me the entire Northern Water Tribe came to destroy us?" Bolin said.  
"I'm not sure. Look at their faces!" Mako exclaimed loudly, pointing to the marching army.

It was a sight to behold, and the numbers amount to more than the Fire Nation's army altogether. Perhaps, there were more men over there than the number of strands of hair on each and everyone of the defenders of the city. One thing's for sure, their faces were all the same.

"They're all the same face!" Korra said.  
"Someone's _really_ busy then." Sokka said, and started giving orders. Metalbending police and non-bending guards alike started firing lightning bolts towards the moving army, and even if the army didn't stop or slow down, they started to fall.

But then some of them started to rise up again.

"Keep firing!" Lin commanded. Toph went down the wall with many Dai Li agents and other earthbenders, and they quickly formed a large wall to stop the army. The wall reached the height of Ba Sing Se's, then all of them used their strength to push the wall towards the army. Then, the wall collapsed and was sunk into the ground.

"What happened! I was holding onto it all the time!"  
"I don't know!" One of the Dai Li agents said to Toph, and suddenly he sunk into the ground. Toph felt the Dai Li agent go underground, and she helped him up by propelling him to surface again. To avoid having to save everyone, she told everyone to stay on the wall and keep firing rocks at the army. Toph stamped her foot on the ground, and felt a myriad of vibrations hitting her senses. She started to sweat, and she breathed in a large amount of air. Then she cried out in anger and sunk the almost three thousand-strong army marching towards her into the ground. But it was not enough. More armies and squadrons appeared, and the more powerful ones were in waterspouts.

"General Han!" Eska said and pointed to one of them, which was in the tallest waterspout.  
"Don't let this battle drag into the night! We'll lose!" Sokka said.  
"When is this lunar eclipse going to occur?" Desna said.  
"Let's just hope it's tonight." Sokka said and continued to give out orders. Toph saw that she could not handle them anymore, and went up to the walls with the Dai Li agents and the earthbenders.

The army reached the wall, and even most of them fell, some of them mysteriously rose back to life. A thousand of them assumed their stances, and pulled water from the surrounding oceans and seas, rivers and ponds to them. Then they flung ice spikes, ice blasts, hailstones and water blasts towards all of the people on the wall. Dai Li agents quickly escaped with the other earthbenders, and Toph rose back to the top and told everyone to run.

It was a fearsome sight. There were so many projectiles flying across the air that there was no time to dodge but just run. Some were even bigger than the watchtowers themselves.

"Where's Aang?!" Korra said. Then she saw Aang flying down from the air and creating a large air sphere to block everything. He expanded the sphere, and Korra did the same by channeling her energy towards the circular encasing. The sphere increased in size and pushed most of the ice spikes away. Those spikes which penetrated were melted by Korra's waterbending.

The projectiles stopped, and the army was already preparing their next launch. Aang's eyes glowed, and he rose into the air with the air sphere. It was the same styled sphere that was encasing him during the Battle of Wu Long Forest, but this time it was much bigger. He propelled himself over the army, and landed on the ground with an impact that ripped the earth of the ground and ruptured the land. The walls behind him started to shake as he stood up. Then he remembered what Avatar Kiyoshi did. How was Kiyoshi Island formed?

He then removed all the spheres and everything else, and shot it at the army. All of them were clad similarly to a Northern Water Tribe soldier: blue fur robes and blue fur hats. Mysteriously all of them had the same face.

It was same face as Unalaq.

Aang caused a large earthquake, and swung his arms to the left and right, cutting the ground of the continent. Then, he pushed Ba Sing Se away, and it floated away on its island. The army did not stop, but continued to move towards Ba Sing Se by freezing the water. As they walked on the ice, Aang melted the ice.

Korra arrived beside Aang, and pulled up the waves of the sea and pushed it towards the army. Then Aang stopped.

"Is that- enough?" Aang said, his glow gone. He collapsed on the ground and Korra helped him up.  
"You over strained yourself." Korra said.  
"Let's go back." Aang said, and they started to walk back.

Then they saw Azula running towards them.  
"What is it, Azula?" Aang said.  
"Something really bad happened, Aang. You guys need to get there now!"  
"What happened exactly?" Korra said.

"There some guy bloodbending every single one of them there, but luckily Katara broke some of us free from its grip. We're all at the palace!"

There was loud piercing shriek from the city, and they saw a large waterspout rise into the air, but it wasn't just water. It was a mix of blood and water.

Korra looked at the waterspout. "Oh no."


	33. The Day Of Red Moon: Part 2

"It's Unalaq!" Korra said, and they started to run back to the city.  
"This is insane! And where's my father?"  
"I don't know, Azula." Aang said, and as he glided up to the wall, he gasped. He sighed.

Most of the city was destroyed, and all of the soldiers, including Lin and Tenzin, were bloodbended and hoisted up to the air as if they were small rocks being levitated by a master earthbender. It was majestic, yet frightening. The extent of Unalaq's powers had already increased to such, and Aang started to feel fear.

"Let's end him!" Azula said and fired a lightning bolt towards the back of Unalaq. The lightning hit him and Unalaq howled in pain, which caused him to lose grip. "Strange, that killed you when I shot you with that, Aang." Aang shrugged, and quickly went down with Korra. Both them landed on the ground and told everyone to head towards the palace as they were vulnerable, but they refused.

"We will not leave both the Avatars alone with that monster!" One of the Dai Li agents said.  
"Then take him down now." Korra said and jumped sky high. She then propelled herself down towards Unalaq, who was lying flat from the ground, trying to recover from the sudden lightning wound. Before Korra could reach Unalaq with her punch, Unalaq raised his hand up and stopped her.

Korra was being bloodbended!  
"Do - do - do it! Aang! Lin!" Korra said, struggling.  
Lin walked towards Unalaq, but suddenly she stopped and knelt down. Korra was shocked. Every other Dai Li agent and soldiers were also kneeling down, all of them clutching their foreheads in pain. Then Unalaq levitated everyone off the ground, and flung all of them towards the palace. Korra was left alone, and Aang swung his staff towards Unalaq, which made him lose his bloodbending grip. Korra dropped to the ground, exhausted and writhing in pain.

"Korra!" Aang said. He turned around to Azula. "Azula, go." Azula nodded and ran away. Aang then looked up at the sky.  
The moon was slightly red.

"No wonder. Unalaq couldn't hold out anymore." Aang and Korra then both walked towards Unalaq. "How long does the lunar eclipse last, Korra?"

"According to Sokka, he says it will last for ninety minutes."  
"More than enough." Unalaq said as he tries to stand. "More than enough for me to end both of you!"  
"You can't do anything, Unalaq. The lunar eclipse will -"  
"Take away my waterbending? Young Avatars, you mistake me for a waterbender." Unalaq said as he regained his posture. He flexed his shoulder muscles and flexed his arms and assumed his pose.

"Go ahead, Unalaq. Shoot me with water." Korra said, then she dodged.

Unalaq shot a ball of fire.  
"Did you just - shoot fire?"

Then Unalaq stamped his foot on the ground and rose up to the air as earth pillars pushed him up.  
"Did he just - earthbend and firebend?"

Unalaq then came crashing down on the ground, and the impact flung both the Avatars away. They landed on the ground using their airbending and sustained little injury, and they started to run about the place, avoiding the fireballs and volleys of flames shot by Unalaq.

"Stop running and let me take a good shot at you!" Unalaq said, and his eyes glowed dark purple. He then rose to the air with fire at his feet, and chased Aang. Aang tried to run, but Unalaq was faster. Aang then swung his staff and an air swipe hit Unalaq, which made him crash to one of the houses. Aang heaved a sigh of relief, but Unalaq emerged from underground and tried to punch Aang, but Aang dodged it just in time. He levitated some of the rocks around him and flung it towards Unalaq, but he dodged it easily.

Aang flew to the air and appeared behind Korra. Korra did a roundhouse kick, but Unalaq dodged it and landed on top of the roof of a house. He jumped down and fire continuous balls and volleys of flames, but Korra dodged it. Unalaq then ruptured the earth, and Korra lost balance.

As he walked towards Korra, appearing to be relishing in delight in his victory, Aang appeared behind him. Unalaq felt his landing, and despite his light feet, he encased himself entirely in earth and moved towards Korra. Korra picked herself up, and encased her self in earth too.

Both of them hit each other, and tried to push each other away. Korra punched Unalaq, but he dodged it and gave her an uppercut. Korra went backwards and she flung all the rock covering towards him, and she leapt away and up to the rooftops. Aang then pulled Unalaq down onto the ground and 'chained' him to the ground with earth. Aang's eyes was glowing.

Before Aang's thumb could reach Unalaq's forehead, Unalaq's eyes glowed, and each of them started to be in their own spheres of protection. Aang in his air sphere and Unalaq in his sphere of fire. Aang then shot the rocks at Unalaq at bullet speed, and the structures that were hit were demolished instantly. Unalaq was hit, but he then shot his flame towards Aang.

It wasn't just an ordinary whip of fire, but instead it rose into the air. It was blue in color! Another one emerged from the sphere, and it was dark red in color. They assumed the shape of a dragon and Unalaq removed the sphere he was in. The flame dragons were then sent towards Aang, and the flame _shot flames themselves._

Aang was not worried, and blocked them with a giant earth wall. He pushed it towards Unalaq, but he rose even higher to the air and jumped over that wall. The dragons dissipated, and Aang clenched his fists. The flame that Unalaq was using to propel himself was extinguished, and he fell to the ground. Aang was focusing all his energy to stop Unalaq from using his flames and bending.

"What - what is this -" Unalaq writhed in pain and protest as the glow shimmered away in his eyes. Vaatu, within Unalaq, started to glow. Then Unalaq started to stand up, and Aang looked visibly shocked and astonished.

"You will not defeat me, Raava." Unalaq said. Or rather, Vaatu. Vaatu has possess Unalaq's entire body, and the flames that was at the base of Unalaq's feet were black in color.

"When Avatar Wan defeated me, I was humiliated. It's time to regain my pride." Unalaq opened his mouth, and a beam of black-and-white emerged. It hit Aang, and it flung him away. Unalaq concentrated the beam on Aang's sphere, who was trying to expand his sphere of protection. Aang then ruptured the earth, and caused it to quake beneath Unalaq's feet.

Korra was behind Unalaq, a distance away atop a roof, and she then concentrated with her mind, and then let loose a volley of fire, as large as thrice the size of an adult playtpus-bear, and more powerful than any fire volley ever produced. Unalaq realised it, and leapt into sky. Unknowingly, the volley of fire was heading towards Aang, and Aang was burnt by the flames. Then, his closed as he slipped away into unconsciousness.

Korra was also overly exhausted, but she tried to stand. She tried to punch the air and shoot fire balls, but it was so weak it barely flew a centimeter. She then dropped to the ground, only to be held up by Zuko and Azula.

"You two Avatars are so weak. It's time the Insane Siblings helped."  
"Seriously, Azula." Zuko pulled Korra into the house, and ran towards Aang. Azula kissed her fingers, and fired a lightning bolt towards Unalaq. She fired non-stop, and Unalaq was visibly shocked by the sudden turn in events.

"No matter. I will crush these insects like I did to the Avatar." Unalaq said, and he created a large fire-wall and pushed it to Azula. Azula blocked it by using her own fire-wall, and two orange flames collided with each other.

"Your flames! They're not blue anymore!" Zuko said as he pulled Aang away.  
"I miss blue." Azula said and leapt up to the rooftop, running from roof to roof as she dodged the fire balls of Unalaq. Zuko then stood up and shot lightning towards Unalaq. Unalaq dodged it quickly, but he was shot by Azula.

"Don't provoke me too much, mortals!" Unalaq then fired two beams of black-and-white energy from his hands towards the two siblings, but they dodged it expertly. The beams were concentrated and as it moved towards both of them, it tore up the roof tiles, the earth floors, the lamp posts - basically everything that was beamed upon. Unalaq smiled as both them grew a bit tired, and expanded the beam.

Azula and Zuko were hit by the beam, and the explosion that happened when they were hit caused them to be hurled onto the ground. They collided into each other, and became drowsy and faint. Their sight was blurred.

Unalaq was still in the sky, moving slowing towards both of them. He put both of his hands together, and a small ball of energy was rolling between his palms as he slowly moved his hands. He concentrated on the small ball of energy, and as his hands slowly moved further away from each other, the ball started to shoot black lightning and white lightning in random directions, some almost hitting the siblings.

Then he stopped.

A large volley of black flames flew from the right and it hit him hard. He was hurled far away.

"Nice one, Azula." Zuko said.  
"No, it's nice one, Ozai." Azula said, and pointed towards Ozai, levitating in the air, eyes full of determination and fury.

* * *

"Father?" Zuko said.  
"I'm going to make it up to you, children." Ozai said.  
"Father! No!" Zuko cried out as Ozai moved towards Unalaq.

"You wish to go against me, Ozai?" Unalaq said as he tried to stand.  
"I do not wish to go against you. I wish I could _end _you." Ozai brought down a large volley of flames at Unalaq, but he rolled to the side and it melted the rocks before him.

"You used my power _against _me. How selfish." Unalaq said, and created a large fire-wall and sent it towards Ozai. Ozai pushed back the fire-wall, and made it even larger. After all, his firebending was much more powerful and proficient than Unalaq, who merely took it from the dragons. Unalaq gasped, and went underground. The firewall melted the rock and earth as it moved, but Unalaq went down very deep. He then propelled himself to the air in a large tornado of fire and flames. The tornado was colorful: blue, green, orange, red, yellow, white, pink and black flames were all combined together to form a fearsome tornado.

Ozai was unfazed, but he moved his hands in circles, as if outlining the shape of a wheel of a ox cart. Then, he pushed down the tornado towards Unalaq, who was resisting Ozai's manipulation of Unalaq's flames.

"I am more powerful than you, Unalaq. You can't win." Ozai said, and the tornado exploded, flinging Unalaq to one of the standing walls of Ba Sing Se. Unalaq cried out in pain, this time not trying to stand up. He seemed too badly injured for that.

"Give up, Unalaq. With me around and two Avatars, you will lose. Badly." Ozai smiled.  
"No." Unalaq said, and looked up at the sky. The moon, was no longer red. He smiled. Ozai was preparing to let loose a large volley of flames to end him, then Unalaq said, "Wait."

"No." Ozai shook his head, and his veins were coursing with so much blood, energy and _chi_.  
"If you shoot at me now, you will regret it."  
"How so?" Ozai said, and slowed down his concentration of flames.  
"Because you will lose."  
"Interesting."  
"Look at the moon, Ozai." Ozai looked up and saw that it was no longer red anymore. He gulped. Then, he landed on the ground with force, and he knelt down. Ozai tried to move, but he couldn't. Even if Unalaq was lying there, injured, he could still blood bend Ozai.

Ozai tried to shoot flames at Unalaq, but he was too powerful. He saw Unalaq's eyes glowed black-purple, and Ozai started to cough. Blood was spewed out from his mouth, and he felt his organs writhing inside him. He felt his muscles tearing apart, and his bones destroyed and fractured. Unalaq then stood up and walked towards Ozai.

"What- what are you-" Ozai coughed some blood out, then continued, "going - going to - do?"  
"Take back what's rightfully mine, of course." Unalaq placed one thumb on Ozai's forehead and one of his chest, then his eyes glowed. A black-and-white beam emerged from both of his eyes, and it hit the clouds and skies above. The clouds turned dark, and lightning struck the ground around him. Ozai also looked up in the sky, and a black-and-white beam was also shot from his eyes and mouth and it hit the skies. Then, the beam started turning orange. Slowly, the top of the beam became orange and disappeared, and eventually, the whole beam disappeared.

Unalaq let go of his grip and Ozai fell onto the ground, his eyes showing the fear and sorrow in him.  
"If we've worked together, if you had less ambition in you, if you were less greedy... Perhaps, we could've enjoyed a blissful 10,000 years of darkness together." Unalaq said and walked away. "Ba Sing Se is destroyed. And so will the rest of the world." Unalaq flew up into the sky and disappeared.

Azula and Zuko were running all the time, and they finally reached Ozai. They knelt down, eyes full of tears.

"I'm sorry I couldn't become a good father to both of you." Ozai said as he caressed both of their cheeks, wiping their tears. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you earlier. It's all my fault. My greed blinded me. The throne was never mine in the first place."  
"That's all past, father. Let's bring you to Katara, she'll heal you in no time." Azula and Zuko both hoisted Ozai up, but Ozai shook his head weakly.  
"No."

"It's too late for me to be healed. What Unalaq done to me inside, it's certain death." Ozai smiled, and touched Azula's chin. "Azula, you're a beautiful girl. After I die, find yourself a reliable husband." Azula shook her head, "Don't say such things, father!"

"And my dear Zuko." Ozai then touched Zuko's scar. "This scar was the biggest mistake - in my entire life. I'm proud of you, for you joining the Avatar, and for you to rule the Fire Nation in the name of peace and love. Thank you, son."

"Before I came here. I sang the song, 'Little Soldier Boy' and played it on the liuqin..." Ozai then asked both of them to kneel down.  
"Leaves from the vine -" Ozai started hoarsely.  
"Falling - so slow -" He spat blood out onto Zuko's face, but Zuko didn't move to wipe it away.  
"Like fragile tiny - shells. Drifting in the - foam." Ozai gave up singing, and started to speak instead of singing.

"Little soldier boy." He said with some tune.  
"Come marching home..."  
"Brave - so -" Ozai howled in pain. As all this was happening, Ozai's body was being carried to the Palace, where Katara was also coming out to take Ozai's body in.  
"- soldier boy." Tears flowed from both of Ozai's eyes, and they flowed down his temples.  
"Comes -"  
"Mar -" His sight started to blur. Ozai smiled. The world around him slowly turned dark.  
"-ching home."

All that was left, was the heart-wrenching cries from the siblings, and the soft sobbing of Ozai's brother.


	34. Trust: Part 1

"Where's Zuko?" Sokka said. "And where's Azula?"

When everyone else didn't respond but looked at the ground, hearts heavy and minds full of thoughts, he decided not to ask. He spread out his map on a table, and gathered everyone around.

"Look, the next target would be Omashu. If we get there early we will -"  
"Listen, Sokka. He's too powerful for us to defeat. We can't win this war." Aang said, sighing. "Without Ozai, we can't do anything."  
"But we can't just give up! The people depend on us! On you!" Sokka then put a hand on Aang's shoulder. "I once said to my father, if we can't win, at least we can't lose without a fight. Aang, trust yourself. You're the Avatar, somehow, someway, we'll work it out." Aang nodded his head, but he still didn't accept Sokka's advice. All this, death and disaster and whatnots, were just too much for him. For everyone.

It was apparent on everyone. The look on Katara, that hopeful look, was wiped out. Korra, eyes always full of fight and vigor, now replaced with lethargy and despair. Lin, the headstrong and domineering Chief, now just an exasperated refugee. Everyone around was switched into their 'despair' mode.

Aang didn't want to give up, but with everyone around him either facing high chances of death or perhaps certain death, he's not sure if he could do what everyone wanted to do: end the war. Unalaq was simply too powerful. It was a few more days to the next phase of the moon, and by then the war had already lasted a fortnight. They had planned to end the war at Ba Sing Se, but perhaps not.

"I'm going to mediate on a solution. Get some rest. Tomorrow we set off for Omashu." Everyone nodded, and continued with their duties. Aang walked away into his room, which was just a fur rug on the wooden floor and without a wall on the northern side. He sat on the rug, crossed-legged, and closed his eyes.

"I need your wisdom, Roku. I need all the help I can get."  
Soon, a spectral form of Roku appeared in front of Aang, his face sunken and sad.

"Avatar Roku. The problem has got out of hand. We failed to stop it before it couldn't be stopped."  
"I have no wisdom for you, Aang. For wisdom, is gained through experience. What have you experienced, Avatar Aang? Through this, you gain a wisdom. Perhaps there might be someone who can help you, but I'm not entirely sure." Avatar Roku said.

"Who is it?" Aang said, jumping up.  
"I dread to say this, but he can only be found by asking Koh."  
"Koh the Face Stealer?" Aang then sat down, pondering. "Then I have to enter the Spirit World once more. But Wan Shi Tong must be looking for me, and Unalaq may also sense me. I might be in danger when I'm inside."  
"You have friends in there too, Avatar Aang." Roku dissipated, and Aang decided to concentrate on entering the Spirit World. Before that, he called for someone outside the door, which came to be Toph.

"Tell everyone I'm entering the Spirit World."  
"Don't you want Korra to go with you too?" Toph said.  
"No. One Avatar is enough. Take care of my body." With that, Aang's spirit entered the Spirit World, and Toph hurriedly went out to tell everyone.

* * *

Aang conveniently found himself outside Koh's cave and even more conveniently, Hei Bai was crouching beside the cave.  
"Hei Bai!" Aang went over to give the large panda a hug. The panda sniffed Aang, then looked around, eyes as if searching for a predator hot on its trails.

"What is it, Hei Bai?" The panda gestured for Aang to enter the cave, and then laid down on ground. Aang entered the cave, the place still as eerie and ominous as ever, and soon enough Koh appeared from the top. "Koh. I need your help." Aang said, emotion all thrown out of his heart's window as he restrained himself from freaking out at the sigh of Koh's face.

"Wait, what is it with your face?" Koh looked at Aang, eyes full of fury. Koh's face was the same, the same weird mime mask, but it was mutilated. For once, its eyes show a certain emotion, despite that he had to change faces in order to express his emotions.

"This. Is all caused by you!" Koh said, spitting at Aang's face. Aang didn't move to wipe the spit, but watched Koh twist and turn as he coiled in anger. "Had you not caused mayhem in the Spirit World, I would have been at peace, in my cave, waiting for the right chance to take away people's face!" Koh hissed.

"I'm sorry." Aang said. "But I need your help. Perhaps I could help you get your original face back?" Koh stopped moving, and looked into Aang's eyes as he changed into a face of a baboon, this one also mutilated and scarred badly.

"Your preposition interests me." Koh smiled with his original face. "You see, I do not care about my other faces, but if _my original face _gets mutilated my other faces would be the same. Same will go for YOU!" Koh hissed in spite and anger. "No matter. What help do you require, Avatar?"

"I need to know how to stop Unalaq from destroying both worlds." Aang said. Koh then started writhing about, as if the word 'Unalaq' was something that triggered a kind of berserk and anger within him. "He must have done this to you, I presume."

"_Unalaq_. Oh yes, I will tell you. Even Spirits need a bit of revenge now and then." Koh then sighed, and continued. "That owl up there, had ruffled his feathers really badly. Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten thousand things, can be so easily manipulated by some mortal. Pathetic." Koh spat on the floor, tone full of scorn and mock.

"Moving on. How do you like my new face?" Koh's face changed, and surprisingly, it was the face of Wan Shi Tong! Aang heart's fluttered a second, but his face didn't give away his shock.

"That's Wan Shi Tong's face. How is it possible, may I ask?"  
"That owl came down to the cave with Unalaq, forcing me to tell Unalaq a way to destroy both the Avatars. I am a neutral Spirit, and I do not care, but I decided to have a condition."  
"So you asked for Wan Shi Tong's face?"  
Koh laughed. "Yes, Avatar. How observant. But Unalaq was smarter."

"He bloodbent me."  
"But -" Aang stuttered. "How is that possible! You can't bend - but -"  
"Calm yourself, young Avatar." Koh continued. "Do you know why you cannot bend in the Spirit World?"  
"I don't know."  
"Spirits. Everyone controls the power of bending here. Not that I can bend of course, but we can allow bending to happen or not." Koh then climbed up the roof of the cave and surrounded Aang. "Don't you find it peculiar that you can fight Vaatu at the place of Harmonic Convergence?"  
"I never thought of it. Perhaps, there are no Spirits there?"  
"Because the power of Vaatu is strong enough to stop everyone's control. So is Raava. Both spirits are powerful, and each of them have untapped powers, linked from space, to the Universe back to you."

"Wait, space?"  
"Cosmic energy. Around all of us." Koh coughed, then continued. "The world is linked. When the world started, Raava and Vaatu were the roots of this giant world, the world being a tree -"  
"I know how to defeat Unalaq!" Koh quickly moved to Aang, whose face quickly turned emotionless. Koh smiled.  
"Very well. You may leave." Koh uncoiled, and went away. Aang walked out of the cave, but he wished he hadn't.

Hei Bai was on the ground, half-dead and tired, and Aang saw dozens of spirits all transformed by Vaatu surround his body. Aang jumped atop Hei Bai's body, and touched him. The panda's eyes glowed, and the spirits quickly returned to their normal forms, and they ran away.

"Vaatu has extended his reach to the Spirits themselves, without physically being here." Aang then helped the panda up, and sat on it. "I must stop him, soon."

"To the Tree of Time, Hei Bai." The panda squealed, showing his displeasure on the distance he has to travel. Aang then ruffled the fur on its body. "Please, Hei Bai. I need your help too."

The panda then took off, with Aang shrieking and shouting at Hei Bai for it to slow down.

* * *

_1 day later..._

Aang's body was in another room, guarded and protected by metalbending police supervised by Lin and Toph. The entire population of Omashu has been evacuated to what's remaining of Ba Sing Se, and they were to help out in the effort to rebuild the city in the meantime. It took Sokka a lot of time to persuade, and everyone had to come in and say something to persuade the massive population to abandon their homes.

"Listen, citizens of Omashu. If you stay, your houses and lives will be taken together. If you leave, your lives will be spared. It's as simple as that." Korra said. Everyone hesitated, and then an older man raised his hand. "Question?"

"Where are we going to go?"  
"Ba Sing Se. It has been destroyed partially, and we need to you to rebuild your homes there." Another hand went up.  
"Why has it been destroyed? How come you haven't stopped it?"  
Korra sighed. "The thing is, our solutions were not... resolute enough. But listen everyone, I am working on another solution. Please, listen to me."

Everyone started booing, crying out on how the Avatar is useless. Toph was at the area, supervising the situation, then she stormed up to the pedestal and started screaming into the microphone.

"If you boneheads want to die then go ahead and stay here and let Unalaq rip all of your insides out!"  
Even though that incurred some protest and Sokka's reprimand, with Katara backing Toph up, everyone momentarily went quiet, pondering on this issue. Then one of them raised their hands.

"Yes?" Korra said.  
"Can you guarantee our safety, Avatar Korra?"  
"An Avatar guarantee is better than any other guarantee." This made everyone happy, and they dispersed, all packing up and going to set off soon.

The microphone and everything else were taken away by some crew, then Korra went to Katara and whispered.  
"Is Aang back?"  
Katara shook her head.  
"This worries me. He's been away for a day..." Korra put a hand on Katara's shoulder, who was visibly more worried. Of course, who else can be more worried than the Avatar's girlfriend herself? Katara looked up at Korra, nodding at her reassurance, then they went on their ways.

"Okay, we have to leave this city now and get to the next one."  
"What's the next city?" Korra said.  
"Wait." Sokka then looked at his map. "According to the cycle... it would be..."  
"What is it?" Toph said.  
"The Southern Water Tribe." Sokka turned around. "This is bad. It's too far for us to reach there in time. If we set off now, we might reach there only in time for the battle."

"Leave that to us, Sokka."

Desna and Eska walked up to Sokka, and were accompanied by Bolin, whose arm was forcefully clutched by Eska's arm. Bolin looked at Sokka, smiling awkwardly. Sokka didn't notice, and nodded his head for both of them to continue with what they were saying.

"The furry animal that flies will bring us to the closest shore, and we will travel to our sister tribe by waterbending jet skis."  
"This will be more effective and quicker than furry animal travel." Eska continued.

"Right." Sokka then asked Korra to lead them to Appa, and they hastily made their way there.

* * *

As the last person was sent on their way to their way to Ba Sing Se, escorted by teams of metalbending police that were lucky enough to survive, everyone else got out of Omashu. The skies turned dark, and Korra sensed the presence of Vaatu tugging in her chest, She felt Raava within her squirm and writhe, as if in immense pain. Korra felt Raava's pain, and quickly told Katara.

Katara laid her down on a mat on a horse cart, and as the horse sped away to Yong Pier, she tried to relieve Korra's pain. It was useless of course, the pain comes from the weakness of Raava, and nothing could heal it but the Avatars themselves.

"Don't worry, Korra. When we're out of here, we'll be okay."  
"I failed the people as the Avatar, Katara. I don't know how -"  
Katara put a finger on Korra's lips. "Rest now, Korra. We'll there in an hour."

The horse was running so quickly, dust being brought up by its hooves.

* * *

Hei Bai was galloping so fast, ignoring all the transformed spirits hissing at it. Aang looked at the other spirits in shock and fear, but decided to shut them out by just concentrating on the journey ahead. They were already halfway there, after Hei Bai had made a detour to avoid the large grassy plains that lead to the canyon but rather allow the currents of the river to bring it down into a massive forest.

The journey seemed never-ending, but Aang was full of energy. He was determined to keep running, but Hei Bai couldn't keep up, and it was already feeling very tired. Aang tried to channel Hei Bai some of his powers, but Raava within him was in pain, squirming and writhing about as if being tortured and whipped by some sadistic tamer. Aang clutched his chest, feeling uncomfortable. Sweat dripped down his back and front, and tears spring to his eyes as the pain quickly became unbearable.

Hei Bai stopped moving as Aang fell of it. Hei Bai nuzzled him, but Aang was not reacting. He was just twisting about on the ground in pain.

* * *

Korra couldn't rest. The pain was too much for her. Katara tried to sedate her and let her drift off the sleep, but even she couldn't do anything. Korra was shaking about on the cart, and even if she didn't twist and turn, she was shivering so wildly. It was as if a kind of Ice Age had sprung up into her heart, but it wasn't enough to kill her.

Mako had already came over, hopping over to her cart and hugging Korra tightly, whispering on how he needs Korra to stay strong.  
"Please, Korra, just a bit more."  
"Please."  
"I love you Korra, please."

While Mako was doing the same, Katara was sending silent prayers to her mother.  
_Mum, please bless that Aang is doing well and okay._

And so were Aang's children and everyone else, for Aang's glow had already disappeared entirely.


	35. Yong Pier

Hei Bai roared at the spirits that were coming towards Aang, who had stopped shivering so much. Aang tried to stop Hei Bai from hurting the spirits, but there were just too many to not ignore. Fierce looking ones, with lion-heads and long snake bodies were coiling about the trees, roaring and hissing now and then. Flying rabbits, which had looked so docile and amicable before, suddenly turned into fearsome flying man-eating beasts, circling where Aang was at.

One of the lion-snake pounced at Hei Bai, but the panda shook it off and smashed its body against a nearby tree. More spirits poured in, and the only thing stopping them from going further was Hei Bai roaring and howling so loudly.

Then there were loud roars. Giant tiger spirits had appeared from the bushes and the woods, and they started to run towards the panda. The panda gave up its normal animal form, and went into its fearsome spirit form. It shot beams of energy from its mouth at the tigers, who were pushed far back away. Some of them almost reached Aang, but Hei Bai jumped over to fling it away with one headbutt.

Aang was crawling bit by bit, and the pain had started to subside ever so slightly. Every time as Hei Bai attacked one of the spirits, it looked at Aang with eyes as if saying 'what's wrong with you, Avatar?', but it could not offer any solutions. Three tiger spirits had regained their energy, and they pounced on Hei Bai, trying to stop it from attacking them.

The tiger spirits were ferocious and ruthless. Their black stripes over their white bodies, and their eyes, red and purple, containing a bad hunger. Their bodies had a purple outline around them, and their tails were replaced with a scorpion's. They bit at Hei Bai, and stung it with their tails. Hei Bai howled in anger.

Hei Bai twisted and turned, and shook off one of the tigers. It was flung to a tree, and it howled in pain. Hei Bai was pinned on the ground by the other spirits, but it moved its two forelegs aside and flung the two biting tigers to the left and right. The other spirits were also shaken off like water off a dog's fur, but exhaustion and pain was visible on Hei Bai.

Hei Bai cried out in pain as another tiger spirit had stung it with its scorpion tail, apparently the tip being coated with a kind of neurotoxin. Hei Bai suddenly lost control of its legs, and it fell down on the ground, kneeling down.

A small parrot, pure white, hopped about Aang's face. Aang moved his arm slowly towards the parrot.

Hei Bai was bitten even harder by the other spirits, and one of it, which resembled a kind of octopus, extended all its limbs and coiled it around Hei Bai's body. It tried to pull Hei Bai into the spirits, but it had concentrated its energy on the tentacles and burned it away. The octopus spirit cried out in pain, and a tiger spirit stung it with more poison.

That was the last draw.

Hei Bai howled and as it landed on the ground, it reverted back to its panda form. Bruises, scars, open wounds, bleeding wounds were everywhere on its body. Empty patches on the fur were visible, and its eyelids closed. It cried out once more, as if saying 'I'm sorry, Avatar'.

Aang had already moved his finger to the parrot, almost touching it. The parrot cawed louder, hurrying Aang.

Just as the spirits has reached Aang, he touched the parrot's head lightly. Aang had channeled his energy to the parrot, and the parrot, while cawing, transformed. It spread its wings, and it grew larger and larger by the second. Then it showed its true form.

"A crane..." Aang muttered softly. The large crane, pure white except for its eyes and beak, flapped its wings. The spirits were all flung back deep into the woods, and it walked over to Hei Bai. It nuzzled Hei Bai's face, acknowledging its courage and loyalty, and picked Aang up by using its beak. It held Aang in its beak, clutching tightly onto its robes, and it flew up to the sky.

"So, this forest was... this big?" Aang looked at the forest, though exhausted from resisting the pain within him, was still astonished at how large the forest was. It was, though bright and lively-looking spring forest, it covered almost three times the size of the Fire Nation continent.

The crane flew majestically in the sky, and he felt the pain slowly go away as the energy was sent to his spirit guide.

"Thank you, parrot-crane, thing."

* * *

Unalaq cried out in pain. The candles that he had lit a while ago had their fires extinguished, and his dark glow on his eyes had vanished. He decided to exit the tent, and he got out of it.

"Unalaq... sir." General Han stood there, bowing.  
"Yes, General Han?"  
"Mind if I trespass your abode to brief you on the invasion plans?"  
"Very well." Unalaq gestured for General Han to enter the tent. Even General Han had slowly become more afraid of this unpredictable person, who possess more power than him now.

He sat down by the table and laid out his map.  
"Tomorrow, we'll set off for Omashu."  
Unalaq nodded his head. "Anything else?"  
"Are we going to continue to allow the soldiers to have... uh... who's that again?"  
"Vaatu, General Han. Please, do remember his name." Unalaq said, his eyes glowing.  
"Y-Yes." Han broke out in cold sweat, but put up a confident pose. "Vaatu. So, is _Vaatu _going to possess the soldiers again?"  
"No." Unalaq then stood up.  
"We're not setting off for Omashu this time."

"Huh? Are we changing course again?"  
"I changed my mind just now." Unalaq said and drew out a small dagger from his sides. He then stabbed the dagger on one point of the map.

"We're heading to Yong Pier."

* * *

Korra cried out, this time full of despair and hopelessness and that made the horse stop and whine.

"What is it?"  
"No, please. Don't go to Yong Pier!" Korra said, shaking her head.  
"Why? That's the fastest way to the Fire Nation Capital!" Katara said, and tried to heal Korra, who was sweating profusely, eyes as if seen... I shall not elaborate. Korra kept shaking his head, and pleaded for Katara to not go on.

"Then where do you suggest we go?"  
"We must get out of there. Unalaq will be there!" Korra exclaimed.  
"Nonsense!" Sokka said from another cart beside Korra. "Unalaq will follow the plan, he'll attack the Southern Water Tribe after Omashu. No time for Yong Pier, my dear." He then elbowed Suki, and whispered on how that rhymed. Suki sighed.

"Sokka's right. Our best bet will be to get to Yong Pier as quickly as possible."  
"Katara's right." Mako said, and ruffled Korra's hair. Korra was still shivering, and she gulped. She then nodded reluctantly. The horses continued moving. Lin and Tenzin were sitting in a cart behind the younger ones at the front. They were accompanied by another cart with Bolin and Toph, both them discussing on how to Earthbend. Technically, it was Toph just boasting on how other Earthbenders don't have seismic sense, which made Bolin boast on how he can see.

"Alright then, blindfold yourself and have an earthbending RUMBLE!" Toph yelled out in excitement.  
"Then you got wear shoes!" Bolin said.  
"Aw man." Toph then nodded her head. "You got a deal, fat boy!"  
"Hey, I'm not fat!"  
"From what I hear, and what I feel... you got some serious body mass." That sentence was loudly said, and Mako started to laugh. He spread the joke to the others, and even Korra managed a slight giggle. Bolin crossed his arms in protest on how he was a growing boy and he needed body mass.

"Seeing the children like this...I can't imagine."  
"What can you not imagine, airhead?" Lin said.  
"Firstly I can -" Tenzin then turned a dark shade of red. "What do you mean by that, Lin!"  
"I don't mean anything, Tenzin!" Lin said, arms up. "You must have mis-_understood _me." Lin then inched closer to Tenzin.  
"What can you not imagine, Tenzin?" This made Tenzin move back, and Lin laughed out loudly. She then gave a hard slap to Tenzin's back, and he coughed a bit. "Ease off a bit, old man."

"You're old too, Lin." Tenzin said.  
"We're all old, Tenzin."

* * *

"Cabbages! Cabbages! Fresh Cabbages from Cabbage Corp. all the way from Republic City! Fresh and tasty!" A man shouted out loud. He was pushing a large cabbage cart and running about the place.

As he stopped by to entertain a customer, a man was standing by a pillar. He had a large, rice-paddy farmer hat over his head, covering his face. His clothes were similar to Water Tribe clothes, but on it were accessories that were never seen before. Things such as an earth talisman or a fire nation phoenix ring were worn by the mysterious person.

"I heard the Avatar's coming here. She's going to go to the Fire Nation Capital by taking the brig!"  
"Why the brig? The frigate's much bigger." A man said as he was moving hay to his ostrich-horse.  
"Don't know. Some say they're being secretive. Hiding from their enemy."  
"But if they come, trouble's gonna come too." The ostrich-horse munched on the hay happily. The man that tied the rope to a post and walked away with his friend.

"Hope not."  
The two men started walking away. The mysterious man decided to tail these two men, and he slowly walked far behind them. Far enough to avoid detection, close enough to hear.

"Some soju?"  
"This early? Why, you're my best buddy!" The two men laughed, and went into the inn. As they entered, the mysterious men also entered the inn. There was a liuqin hung atop the wall, and underneath there were Chinese words.

秘人奏之千金曲  
喉声泪眼千万语

The two men walked up the staircase to the second floor, and the mysterious man handed the cashier a large sack of gold.  
"One week."  
The cashier nodded his head, and gave the mysterious man his change. The mysterious man shook his head, saying he has no pockets, and walked up the stairs.

"What does the Chinese inscription mean, Lee?"  
"My brother says, a mysterious man who saved some men on that pirate ship had played that liuqin."  
"Really? Is it that ship, _Mutiny_?"  
"Yeah! Haha!" The men poured his friend a cup of soju. The men then drank his cup after turning away, then poured one for his friend, who did the same thing.

"I can't read Chinese, you know my parents didn't send me to school."  
"Well, coming from the Chief of Guardsmen here in Yong Pier, I can hardly believe it!"  
"So what does it say?"  
"It says this. A mysterious men played a thousand eternal pieces of music, and his voice and tears tell of a million-words tale."  
"Wow..."

The mysterious man sighed. This was not what he had wanted to listen. Not some sorry sob story.  
"So when's the ship going to go? I'm heading to the Fire Nation Capital myself!"  
"A business trip?"  
"Yeah!" The Chief of Guardsmen that continued after his friend described his business trip.  
"By next dawn. It will set off quietly. Well, some townsfolk says that the passengers aboard are just a cover for the Avatar. So watch out, mate."

The mysterious man stood up.  
_That's what I want to hear._


	36. Trust: Part 2

Korra slowly climbed the stairs along with Mako's help. Mysteriously, her pain had subsided, as if like smoke, drifting away into the air after the thing had been burnt. As Korra watched the others unload their belongings, and giving them to the men on board for them to bring to their rooms, she also saw other citizens watching her intently.

It was easy to see in their eyes, what they had wanted. There was full of hope in those eyes that they had, even the small kids, so young but so hopeful. What else could they hope but for their family to have happiness as before? Korra gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. _I will end this war. You just wait._

"Korra, Katara wants to heal you again." Mako said. Korra nodded her head, and slowly limped into the room Katara was in. A large rectangular box was in the middle of the room, like some kind of tranquil pond, it was filled with clear and pristine water. Katara gestured for Mako to leave the room, and asked Korra to strip and lie down in the water, head out to breathe.

Mako left the room, full of worries and fret. He was frustrated at himself for not being able to do anything to relieve her pain, but can only watch Korra shiver and twist and turn and scream... being helpless. He sighed and walked towards Bolin, who was looking out by the deck, watching the brig sail out of the dock.

"Hey, Mako." Bolin said as Mako patted his brother on the back. "You don't look so well."  
"I'm worried for Korra."  
"Everyone's worried for Korra, Mako." Bolin turned around and put his own hands on the ledge, adopting a leisure pose. "Don't fret, bro. It's gonna be fine."  
"How's Aang?" Mako said.  
Bolin's face turned into a slight frown. "Don't know about that. He seems to be out for too long..."

* * *

The crane slowly touched the ground with its long slender feet. It moved its head down, its beak then letting go when Aang's body touched the ground. Aang felt the hard earth, and as the crane stood there watching Aang try to stand, he coughed and spewed blood on the ground. The crane didn't look visibly as worried as Aang was when a crimson red patch appeared on the ground.

Aang put a knee on the ground, and stood up slowly. He rubbed his eyes, and his vision cleared up gradually. He saw the large tree where Vaatu was imprisoned before, in the middle of the place. Aang walked to the crane, and the crane nuzzled Aang's face. Aang laughed, and touched the crane's forehead. The large, majestic bird took off, and flew away. Aang walked to the tree.

He climbed up the roots, and walked into the large hole. This place was _old_, hence named the Tree of Time, having being existed since time. As he entered the place, the tatoos on his body started to glow. He looked at the bark, so wrinkled and dark, but yet emitting a kind of energy that rejuvenated and refreshed Aang. Aang smiled as he touched the bark, feeling the texture. Then he sat in the centre of the tree, and started to meditate.

* * *

"There's a strange force holding onto you, Korra. I can't do anything about that." Katara said, eyebrows knitted.  
"Don't know about that." Korra said, pouting. There was a knock a door.  
"Who's there?"  
"The blind girl." Katara asked for Toph to come in, and Toph entered the room. "What is it?"  
"Her boyfriend." Toph pointed to Korra, but not facing her. "Wants to know how she's doing."  
"Tell Mako she's fine and she's going to be okay."

Toph walked out of the room after saying, "Even I could've said that, sugar-queen."

Korra relaxed as Katara touched Korra's forehead with healing water. Then suddenly, the clear water started to glow.  
"What's happening?" Katara said. But Korra wasn't listening, then, her eyelids opened and the Avatar glow was bright in her eyes. Katara decided not to wake her up but sat by the side, guarding her body.

* * *

Aang found himself standing atop an aurora borealis path. Stars, planets and galaxies were everywhere, and the dark space filled the background. In front him, was well, him. A large spectral form of him, his hands holding a kind of large ball. Aang slowly walked to the ball, and touched the surface. It was cold, but as he put his finger through, he felt heat and energy being emitted from inside. He pierced through the ball and pushed his way through with his body and found himself within the ball.

"What am I going to do here?" Aang wondered out loud. Then Aang saw moving pictures of him, sitting down on the ground and adopting a meditation pose. He saw himself meditate and connect with the cosmic energy in space. Aang then sat down.

Aang closed his eyes as his body relaxed, and he found himself drifting away...

* * *

Korra fist clenched and her eyebrows knitted, and Katara touched Korra's forehead and moved her eveybrows up. Korra's body relaxed.

* * *

Aang found himself in a large garden, with three arches which lead to elsewhere. In the middle of the garden was a large table spread out with various delicacies from each of the Four Nations, and there was a large ivory throne beside the table. On the throne sits a man. The man looks at Aang. There was something about him, that made Aang thought that the man was familiar.

He had a kind of flashy hairstyle, and he was wearing tattered but comfortable orange monk robes. He looked fit and strong, and there was a certain emotion within his eyes. He looked at Aang, and gestured for him to sit down across the table on the chair. Aang sat down on the chair, and started to speak.

"Who are you? Where am I? Is this the Spirit World?" Aang said.  
"I am you, Avatar Aang. You are not in the Spirit World." The man said, then he extended his arm and reached for Aang's arrow on his forehead. He then placed a finger on it, and suddenly Aang was filled with flashbacks and memories.

"You're an Avatar!" Aang said. A flashback appeared in his mind, showing the man bending all four elements at once while fighting Vaatu. In the end, he saw the man slowly imprison Vaatu and binding him to the Tree of Time, and how as he died, the spirit of Raava passed on to the next reincarnation of the Avatar.

"I'm Avatar Wan, the first Avatar." Aang stood up and bowed to the man, and the man responded with one too. They then both walked to one of the arches and Wan started to speak.

"You are in the mind of the Avatar after you, Avatar Aang."  
"I'm in Korra's mind?" Aang then looked at the beautiful daffodils and the tall poplar trees. "Her mind's quite the pretty sight."  
"Walk down each pathway, and you will be posed a problem in Korra's mind." Wan then walked back to the throne and sat down, leaving Aang to warily tread down the pathway.

As he walked, a sound resonated in the sky. Wan was talking to Aang about the pathway.

"You've walked down the Path of Uncertainty. Korra, from the time when she felt the responsibilities of being the Avatar, she felt many things." Aang then saw a spectral, blueish translucent form of Korra fighting Amon. Aang tried to help, but Amon was also a spectral form, and they were just stuck in a kind of perpetual martial art fight, where Amon always beat Korra down. Then Aang walked further, seeing Korra looking Bolin and Mako in a pro-bending tournament. He saw Korra get knocked out of the ring, and how her footsteps on the tournament were shaky and not firm.

"Small things and big things all get to her." Aang then saw Korra standing atop a rooftop, watching Aang himself fighting the Avatar form of Unalaq. "She felt useless."

"How can I help her?" Aang said.  
"You're in her chakra, the chakra in the forehead. Remember, you unlocked that easily before, but for her she couldn't unlock her Avatar State easily because of her blocked chakra." There was a silence then Wan continued. "And that chakra was blocked by too many things."

Aang walked to a tree, and saw Korra trying to climb it up. However, Korra couldn't climb up properly, and she kept sliding down the trunk and fall down on the ground, whimpering in pain. She didn't give up but determination was futile. Aang then walked to Korra, and gave her a hand. Korra looked at Aang and held Aang's hand. Korra then ran up on the tree trunk as if it was a kind of floor or ground, then leap onto a branch and sit on it.

Aang went to the Korra that was fighting in the pro-bending tournament, and helped Korra out of the water below the ring. Korra then entered the ring and knocked all of her opponents out with one water blast.

Aang walked to the Korra that was fighting Amon, and picked her up. Aang stood there, and Korra nodded her head in unison with Aang. Both of them extended their hands and punched Amon, releasing a blast of flames that burnt Amon into crisp.

The path suddenly became illuminated.

* * *

Korra, while in her Avatar State, actually did not breathe in nor breathe out.

And that worried Katara quite a bit. Katara quickly replaced the water in the box and continued to heal her. Not knowing where to heal, Katara kept focusing on Korra's chest, thinking that it could relax he chest and allow her lungs to function.

As the sun over the sea started to set, Korra exhaled.

* * *

Aang walked back to the center to meet Wan, who gestured for him to choose another path.

"Korra can now breathe without worry, fret, uncertainty... But there's more." Aang walked down another path, which was north from Wan's throne. This time, the path was full of beautiful flowers: tulips, daffodils, lilies, chrysanthemums, roses and violets... Poplar trees, willow trees, redwood trees and oak trees were grown everywhere, each one of them attaining their full height and full width. Standing tall and majestic, the grass that Aang was standing on was lush and thick, yet also littered with petals of the flowers. The flowers also swayed in the cool breeze, and the whole path was lit up by a kind of rejuvenating sunrise brightness.

"This place is beautiful..." Aang muttered.  
"And so is fantasy." Wan's voice resonated above, and Aang looked up to see fluffy clouds in the bright blue sky. Aang felt a sense of tranquility and jubilance descend upon him, and his shoulders gradually became lighter.

"This is the Path of Illusion. Look at the scene before you."  
Korra was walking hand-in-hand with Mako. Both of them were smiling and laughing away in some kind of inaudible chatter, then suddenly Amon and Unalaq jumped for the trees. Korra blasted Unalaq away with an air punch, and Mako sent Amon flying into nothingness with a kick of flames. As they kept walking, both of those evil masterminds kept appearing to bother them.

"Amon... Unalaq... They kept, coming."  
"That's right, Avatar Aang. And look at how easy Korra defeats Unalaq."  
"So..." As Aang touches a small chrysanthemum, he continued. "Korra kept thinking that _if _she could only defeat those people that easily, she would be better?" Aang then walked towards Korra and Mako, then leapt over them with an airbending burst.

Korra and Mako looked shocked, but they were ready. Perhaps in her mind, Aang looked like some kind of giant sabrecat octomoose. Korra and Mako ran towards Aang and fired large discs of flames and air, then suddenly Bolin appeared and fired earth discs at Aang. Aang jumped away and blasted a kind of air funnel at Bolin, sending him flying into the sky. Aang then stamped his foot on the ground.

A large earth pillar appeared underneath Mako and sent him into the air at a high velocity. Mako was seen plummeting far away later on.

Korra took a step forward and punched Aang. Aang dodged it and tripped Korra with his feet and flipped the earth Korra was on.

Korra was sent downwards into nothingness, and the area turned dark. The trees suddenly became sunken and wilted, and the petals of the flowers flew away in the wind. The grass had disappeared and hard, barren ground was seen.

Aang walked back to Wan.  
"You have relieved Korra of her illusions. Well done. She will no longer deceive herself and burden herself. But you must hurry."  
Aang nodded his head.  
"I will."  
"The path before you is the most difficult path of all, Avatar Aang."

Avatar Aang walked down the last arch, and noticed the difference between the other paths. This path stopped short at a cliff. Aang stumbled backwards and slowly looked down. There was nothing below but a kind of bottomless pit, then Aang saw a large door in front. It was floating far away, and it did not move. Aang must a find a way to reach there.

"This is the Path of Trust."  
"Trust?"  
"Trust is something mankind needs. We trust people. People trust people." Wan sighed. "In order to reach that door, you _must _think of the times when you trusted someone."

Aang then stood up, and the first thing that came up in his mind was Katara.

"Even stepping into the air, is a kind of trust." Wan said.  
Aang took one step into the air, and felt nothing. He retracted back his steps, and breathed out, clearing his mind. He stepped forward, and he felt solid ground. His heart relaxed and continued to walk on, slowly stepping forward. Then he stopped, somehow by instinct. He walked forward, and each time a person's face surfaced. Toph, Sokka, Zuko, Suki, Appa, Momo, Korra, Tenzin, Bumi, Kya, Gyatso... even Azula! He also remembered the crane that help him, and remembered Hei Bai.

Koh's face showed up, and he also felt solid ground.  
Bolin and Mako's face showed up, and he felt solid ground.  
There was only one last step to the door, but there was no one he could think of already.

"Keep thinking, Avatar Aang. Keep going."

The place started to shake.

"Hurry!"

* * *

The door swung open and Katara stood up. Korra was taken out of the box and clothed, as Katara was afraid that too much water would harm her. As Katara was poised up, ready to defend Korra, Korra was breathing heavily on the bed.

A man entered, wearing a kind of rice paddy-field hat that blocked his face. Katara spoke.

"Who are you!"  
"I have already taken care of your friends... Katara."  
"How do you know my name?" Katara said. "Don't come any closer!" The man took a step forward and brandished a small dagger. It was blood-soaked and coated with a kind of purple gel.

"Your friends will be asleep for a very long time. Enough for me to win this war."  
"Unalaq." Katara said, her voice full of bitterness.  
"And, without anything to wake them up, they'll die of hunger and dehydration... What's the best way than to eliminate their _only way _of waking up, the healer of the team?" Unalaq took a step closer, and the dagger glinted under the moonlight.

"And the best way is to eliminate her... _permanently_." Unalaq took off his hat, and threw it at Katara. Katara dodged the hat, and Unalaq bent the water from Katara's box to hit Katara.

Katara dodged the flying hailstones, and whipped Unalaq. Unalaq jumped up and avoided the tripping whip. Then suddenly Unalaq stopped moving, and slowly started to kneel.

"I can blood-bend, Unalaq. That's how I defeated Ozai myself. _Twice_."  
"But you forget, we're both top notch waterbenders." Unalaq said, and stood up. Katara's bloodbending doesn't work on a fellow bloodbender, so she gave up and pushed Unalaq out of the room. Unalaq was sent flying to the door, and was sent out onto the deck.

The water was calm, but the ship's sail was rolled up and not catching the wind. The anchor had been lowered. Katara bent water from the ocean and froze Unalaq's body, but Unalaq broke free and punched to release a volley of flames.

"You're going to burn the ship, Unalaq."  
"Oh right, I want the Avatar... alive." Unalaq then cartwheeled to the side to avoid Katara's water blast. "Make that, Avatar_s._" Unalaq gave a sly half-smile, then froze Katara's legs. Katara tripped, then she melted the ice and bent the water behind Unalaq. She sent the water crashing down on the man, but Unalaq was already gone.

Unalaq appeared _behind _Katara, in a waterspout in the ocean. Unalaq blasted the water at the panting girl, but Katara bent the water that Unalaq was using as a waterspout into ice. Then, she sunk Unalaq into the sea, and created a small whirlpool to sink Unalaq into the sea.

Katara then ran to the end of the ship, and bent the water to push the ship. The ship was slowly pushed, and it went further away from Unalaq, who had resurfaced.

Unalaq emerged and came of the sea, and rode the water in a form a water ski, and came dashing for Katara.

Slowly, Katara started to pant.

* * *

Aang sat there, thinking of someone.

He tried to remember Raava, but there was no solid ground to be stepped on. Does that mean he doesn't trust Raava?  
He tried to think of Desna and Eska's face, but the solid ground dissipated away. The trust he had, was not very strong.  
He even thought of the ostrich horses, the stable keepers... but it wasn't trust, it was more of expectation.  
"Who could it be?"

Wan's voice resonated from afar, hurrying Aang to think back even further.

* * *

Unalaq jumped up to the deck, and blasted Katara with water. Katara jumped aside and bent the waves onto Unalaq. As the waves crashed down, she turned it into ice spikes, but Unalaq melted the spikes as soon as they come close to him.

"It's not your destiny to defeat me, young girl. Why not give in to destiny instead?"

Katara was blasted with a continuous blow of water, and she was sent sprawling on the wooden floor. She was drained of all her energy.

Unalaq brandished his dagger, and slowly started to walk to Katara.

"Avatar Korra and Aang could've defeated me, but I was smarter, wiser and gifted with insight."

Katara hissed at Unalaq. "You're nothing but a monster."  
"Oh no. I am nothing but a saint. Not a monster."

Katara tried to spray Unalaq with water, but her hands were too tired. There was no more fight in her.

"You're delusional. You deceived yourself. Can't you see, Vaatu will destroy once your mission is done!" Katara said angrily.  
Vaatu's voice and Unalaq's voice merged into one and scolded Katara. "Silence, mortal! For you are nothing but a weak and puny mortal. For I am the greatest being of them all. Raava may be on par, but I have surpassed her now! Watch the end of the world while you can, little girl."

Then, there was bright glow emerging from the Captain's Cabin.

It was the Avatar glow.

* * *

"Think of your roots, Avatar Aang."  
"My roots?" He thought of Monk Gyatso, his airbending teachers, his airbending friends, the sky bisons and the temple itself... But there was nothing.

"Who are you?"  
"I'm Aang."  
"And you are the?"  
"Avatar. I'm an airbender. I'm a father of three, a grandfather..."  
"Very good. Now trace it backwards."

The place started to shake and vibrate crazily.

"Why are you in this place?"  
"To solve Korra's problems?" Aang said.  
"That's right. And why could you walk around at ease? Why could you solve her problem?"

Then Aang jumped up. "I know!"

"Go on."  
"The reason is..."

Aang took a step forward.

"I trust you."  
"That's right." Aang felt solid ground and walked to the door. He pulled the door open, and he saw Korra lying on the bed. He also himself, tied up in chains on a post, and saw his waist with an open wound, bleeding profusely.

Aang jumped through.

* * *

Soon enough, the whole brig was brightened and illuminated with the bright Avatar glow. Korra stepped out of the place, and the trapdoor leading to the basement opened. Aang got on the deck and Korra walked towards Unalaq, who was poised and ready to attack.

Aang and Korra both started to speak.

"Unalaq. You will lose. Be it today or tomorrow, you will lose."  
"We, will end you."  
"Your era is over, Vaatu."

Unalaq decided that he couldn't battle the Avatars, and swung his dagger at Katara after flying into the sky. Unalaq propelled himself away from the brig, and disappeared.

But the dagger hit Katara.

It lodged into Katara's thigh. Katara screamed.

Aang and Korra both broke out of their Avatar States and ran to Katara. Aang carried Katara up after Korra removed the dagger, and brought her into the same room where Korra was.

Katara's eyelids started to close.

"No!" Aang said. Aang laid Katara into the box, and Korra filled it with water. Korra started to heal.  
"I'm sorry, Aang..."  
"Don't be sorry, Katara!" Aang said. "If you live, you won't be!"  
"I can't. The poison's... too strong!" Katara yelped as Korra extracted the poison out of Katara's thigh and blood vessels.

"She'll need to rest. For very long." Korra said.  
"Yea." Aang stepped up and walked out of the room. "Thank you, Korra. Thank you, Katara." He looked up into the sky.

_You've done a great job, Avatar. I'm proud of you. _Avatar Wan's voice seemed to resonate and reverberate in the sky above.  
All the past Avatars spoke together in unison. _We all are_.  
_End the war. We will await for you to join our ranks, and enter the realm of endless serenity._

"I will."  
Korra walked out and stood beside Aang.  
"We will."


	37. Hitting Port

It's been a few days since their travel. The ship, though full sail, were still subject to nature's cruelty. Storms, typhoons and hurricanes didn't occur, but instead calm days and nights.

Instead of a smooth sailing experience, there was no wind. Aang and Tenzin tried to blow the sails, but the sails were so heavy, and the Avatar was already exhausted from his journey in the Spirit World. As Bolin and Mako slowly carried Sokka's limp body into the Captain's Cabin, Tenzin and Aang flew down to the deck, and had their lunch. They stood by the end of the ship, looking at the vast ocean ahead.

"Son." Aang said.  
"You started to call me 'son'?"  
"Well, figured that I should get used to it." Aang said. Tenzin smiled.  
"After all this, we have to return. I -"  
"I know, Aang. I mean, father." Tenzin put a hand on Aang's shoulder. "Don't go on anymore. Let's eat."

Sokka came dashing out of the cabin, complaining on how Korra had 'violated his royalty'.  
"This is ridiculous! How can Korra just violate my royalty! She's too much!" Sokka said to Suki, who talking to Mako. Mako looked at Sokka and gave him a look that says 'Oh-how-interesting-do-tell-me-more'.

Despite Sokka fuming, Korra came out and explained.  
"Too bad Unalaq decide to poison your royalty instead. He likes to play sick jokes on people like you." Korra grinned.  
"But! You can't just -"

A horn was sounded on the ship, and everyone turned to look at the captain. The captain stepped away from the wheel to the ledge, and spoke to everyone below.

"We're hitting port in a day if weather permits! Worst-case scenario: 2 days. Even worst: sinking!" The captain guffawed at his cold joke, then quickly continued. "So everyone, pack up your stuff. We're hitting Fire Nation shores in a day!"

"A day is still a long wait." Aang said. Tenzin then said, "Don't worry."

Even if Korra was running around, face full of joy and not knowing that Aang _actually _cleared her mind of those thoughts, it dawned upon him that he himself was also having such thoughts. Then Aang asked everyone to go into the Captain's Cabin and into the meeting room. Before that, they saw Desna and Eska leap up onto the deck. Eska then turned to Bolin.

"Bow to me, my feeble turtleduck." Eska said.  
"Yes, yes." Bolin knelt down and kowtowed, then stood up.

"So, how was it?"  
"Our father's appearance did not occur, but we have rallied the Southern Water Tribe together to unite with the Northern one, and expel Unalaq and his legionnaires out of the homes." Desna said. Eska stood forward and continued, "The mission was a success."

"Thank you, Desna. Thank you Eska. You guys have done a lot."  
"You are most welcome, young Avatar." Desna and Eska bowed.  
"Come, I've asked everyone to gather at the meeting room."

* * *

"There's something I need to tell everyone today." Aang said, starting the meeting. When everyone didn't answer, but nodded their head in response. Aang gulped.

"When I was in the Spirit World... I..."  
"You what?" Katara said.  
"Come, spit it. I haven't got all day, y'know." Azula said, winking at Sokka. Sokka blushed, but Suki elbowed him and made him continue to listen to Aang. Aang swallowed his saliva again. He was very nervous. _How would they respond? How would they answer? What would they think? _

Prejudices and suspicions can only be cleared away by just doing what he had to do. Aang sighed.

"I didn't find a way to defeat Unalaq."

Technically, everyone didn't answer but it visible on their face.

Shock.

Anger.

Disappointment.

Sadness.

Basically negative emotions were all imprinted on everyone's face. Except for Korra, because her head was cleared. Korra then stood up and added, "We'll find out, right?"

"I hope so." Zuko said, and walked out of the room. Everyone left the room except for Korra, Katara and Aang. Katara tried to comfort both of the Avatars, but there was no use. They really didn't know _how to defeat the Dark Avatar_.

"If only there's a kind of manual."  
"A guide. Someone even more powerful than all of us."  
"Yea right, Korra." Aang said, and the trio left the room, leaving the room empty again.

Night falls, and as Korra twists and turns on the bed, dreams and nightmares invade her peaceful slumber and interrupt her thoughts. There was something familiar in those dreams but there was yet also the feeling of strangeness within them. Yet, all the dreams and nightmares seemed linked together...

* * *

"Raava! No!" Korra screams as she sees Raava being dug out of her chest by some kind of gigantic hand. Raava was thrown away, then Korra found herself in a dark forest.

Korra saw the forest brighten up, and saw a small white parrot flying. She followed the parrot, then she dropped into a large hole. She plummeted onto the ground but totally unharmed, despite that the fall was supposedly fatal.

She rubbed her eyes and saw a large temple. The temple was beautiful, and there were people walking about the place. Some of them were carrying boxes, and others were empty-handed. There was a sweet but sickly scent in the air, and it was emanated from the temple chambers.

Then a sandstorm came over, and the temple suddenly became ruined. Korra stepped into the temple, and saw stones fly in the air. Some of it came to Korra, but she was too shocked to dodge.

* * *

"What is it, Aang?" Katara came in, candle in hand.  
"I don't know. I had a bad dream."  
"You wanna talk about it?" Katara said, sitting by the bedpost.  
"I don't know... It's all jumbled up in my head, I can't make sense of it."  
"What's in your dream, Aang?" Katara put the candle down on the side table and listened.

"There's... Raava! Something bad happened to her, and I saw her being dug out of my chest by a black and purple hand. Then there's a parrot, which helped in the Spirit World before. I fell through a hole, then saw the temple that we explored before, and I saw that it was bustling with life in the past. I'm so frustrated urghhhh!" Aang said, slowly becoming angry at himself.

"You have to rest, Aang. Too much stress and exhaustion is bad for your health. Lie down, I know what to do." Aang was laid down on the bed and Katara blew out the candle.

* * *

"Raava, no!" Aang saw Raava being ripped out of his chest like a bear trying to get to his heart, then saw Raava being thrown onto a rock. Raava was limp and weak, and there was a man's voice laughing maniacally away. Raava was whipped by a black energy whip, and Aang saw Raava becoming small and smaller.

Then Aang saw could not stand it anymore, and decided to fight back. But the man's grip was too strong, and he was too weak to fight. Raava then dissipated into nothing, and Aang found himself standing in front of the temple that he had explored, and saw it full of life. There were many people around it and they were all chattering away.

Their boxes were being unloaded, and there were many things in it. There were calipers, urns, jars and sacks of items that were taken out from it, and Aang watched them place it on a pedestal. As the people knelt down and kowtowed continuously, a man walked out of the inner chamber that Aang was in. Aang slowly walked about the large chamber, and saw a tablet engraved with words.

The man then chanted the words on the tablet, and the tablet slowly turned and flipped. Then it revealed the words behind the original words and Aang squinted to get a clearer look.

Seeing that nobody noticed him, he sneaked past some of them, and walked behind a pillar. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw nobody had seen him, then he peeked at the tablet.

"Hey you! What do you think you're doing here!"

* * *

"We've hit port!" The captain said, echoing about the board.

Sokka was the first to run out and saw that the ship was beside the jetty. The passengers aboard the ship slowly climbed down the stairs, and everyone was happy to hit land after a long and exhausting sailing on sea. The captain bid the passengers goodbye, and thanked the Avatars for rescuing them from Unalaq the day before.

"It's no bother, captain. We do that all day." Korra said. The captain smiled and the Gaang left the jetty. A man walked up to Korra, clad in red clothes with shoulderpads, and the man looked suave and confident. He extended a hand to Korra, and Korra shook it.

"General Iroh."  
Uncle Iroh then looked at Korra. "Me?"  
Korra turned around and gestured at the suave man.

"This is General Iroh, from the Fire Nation. And he, is named after you!" Korra said, looking at the Uncle Iroh.  
"I've heard of all this craziness from afar. And people have gradually accepted the arrival of the past Avatars and their friends." General Iroh looked at Zuko and smiled. "Glad to see you, grandpa."

That was the bomb that triggered everyone's laughter. Including Uncle Iroh, who joked at how old Zuko was. Zuko looked irritated and turned away, not wanting to see everyone laugh.

"Alright, so why are you, pretty boy?" Azula said.  
"You are...?"  
"I'm the perfect Princess Azula. Now if you excuse me, I will go take a nice bath at the springs. Where is the nearest place where I can get this stench off my body?" Azula said.

"Uh... The Azula Bathhouse? It's down the street."

"A bathhouse named after me? How sexy." Azula said, and Katara, Suki and Toph all joined her stroll down the street.  
"How many days till the invasion of Unalaq?" General Iroh said, his face turning serious.

"Two weeks." Sokka said.  
"I thought it was one?" Zuko said aloud.  
"It was, but given his character, he'll most probably attack during the full moon. Everyone in the Fire Nation knows that firebending doesn't work when the waterbending's at their fullest."

"Good thinking." Aang said.  
"So... where are we staying?"  
"In the Palace, of course." General Iroh said.  
"Sweet!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Time to go back home." Zuko said to Uncle Iroh, and both them nodded. Everyone then followed General Iroh towards the Palace.

* * *

"I'm uh... praying?" Aang knelt down, but the man wasn't happy. His loud voice had already stopped the prayer, and everyone seemed irritated at the sudden interruption. The man was clad in a kind of Sun-Warrior outfit, and there were tattoos of all over his body.

"You, are not welcome here. Get. Out."  
"Wait! I'm just trying to see the words on the tablet!" Aang protested as the man walked closer.  
"Stop!"

The man in front of the tablet shouted, and ordered the man to return to his duties. He then said that the prayer session was over, and asked everyone to return tomorrow. Everyone seemed docile for a while, and they left the temple hastily. The man then gestured for Aang to come to center of the chamber and kneel down.

"Did you bring offerings?"  
"I'm... I... I didn't. This is my first time." Aang said, smiling sheepishly.  
"Very well. You want to know the words on the tablet, don't you?"  
"Yes!"  
"You want to gain knowledge to help you on your adventure, don't you?" The man said and paced slowly back and forth in front of Aang.  
"Yes!" Aang said, hopeful.  
"Then, return at the crack of dawn, when the temple stands tall, when it was the pride of the land. Now leave."

Aang found himself slowly moving further away from the temple. "Wait! Wait! Don't leave!"

* * *

"Are you alright, Aang?" Katara rushed into Aang's room. "This is the second time. Is it because of the Palace? You're having nightmares two days in a row."  
"I'm fine, Katara." Aang said. "Leave me alone for today, I need to sort out my thoughts."  
"Okay, Aang. Just, take care. You're worrying me too much." Katara said.  
"That's because the Avatar's your boyfriend." Aang winked at Katara, who laughed softly. She left the room slowly after turning around to look at Aang sit on the bed, as if in some kind of deep thought, then she went back to her room.

Aang thought backwards, and thought of the dream. He went out of his room, and while thinking, walked to the courtyard. He saw Korra sitting by a tree, throwing bread into the moonlit pond, and watching the turtleducks busily munching on the bread pieces.

"So, you woke the turtleducks up just to eat your bread?" Aang said. Korra then turned around and said, "They woke up when they sniffed my bread."  
"Liar." Aang said, and Korra laughed. Korra then added, "Yeah I kind of threw one of the bread onto a turtleduck, and they ate it after yapping at me."  
"Mind if I sit down with you?"  
"Sure."

The two Avatars sit and lie on the tree trunk, unchanged after 70 years, and still growing taller day by day. They looked up at the moon, and Aang started to speak.

"I'm having bad dreams. I think, you're having the same bad dream too."  
"You're right." Korra said, sniggering a bit. "Being Avatar can sometimes fill you with things more wrecking than school assignments."  
"Haha, I get what you mean." Aang then turned serious. "But what do you make of it?"

"I don't understand about the part where Raava is being ripped from me. I felt, so much pain and hurt in me that it was worse before I came here."  
"Oh, I heard from Katara about that." Aang said. "Yeah, me too. I don't get that."  
"Perhaps it might mean something?" Korra said, hopeful.

"What about the temple?"  
"The temple? I don't know, Korra. The man told me to return when at the crack of dawn, when the temple stood tall, when it was the pride of the land. I don't understand." Aang then sighed.  
"That temple was the same temple that I was in when I entered the past to get you into the future." Korra said, then Aang snapped his fingers.  
"I understand!" Aang then turned to Korra, face full of excitement. "Remember how the temple was full of people?"  
"Yeah?" A turtleduck finished its bread, and promptly went away, and fell into deep sleep.

"Perhaps, that was in the past! When people actually visited the temple!"  
"My! You are right! That must be it!" Korra said, also full of eagerness.  
"So, we must go to the temple early at dawn, then go into the temple and... pray?"  
"You're a genius, Aang!" Korra said, throwing her hands up high in amazement.  
"Then... what about Raava?"

"We'll figure out about that later on. For now, we have a plan."


	38. Defeating Unalaq

"Why didn't say earlier when we're in Ba Sing Se?" Sokka said, exasperated.  
"Well... It came to me just when settled down in the Fire Nation." Aang said sheepishly.  
"Great. Now we're walking blindly in the desert, looking for some ruin then might not be there at all. How fantastic." Sokka trudged on. Aang sighed. Sokka was correct though, the sudden travel from the Fire Nation to the desert had actually caused Sokka's plans and schedules to be all messed up, and not everyone was really willing to travel.

The group was a mess, and some of them were already falling back. There's only Aang, Korra, Mako and his brother, Katara and her brother and Toph (who insisted to come because she will not be left alone).

"Where's your daughter, Toph?" Korra said.  
"What daughter? Oh Lin. Probably back at Ba Sing Se."  
"Oh."  
"What?"  
"What what?" Korra said.  
"You don't seem satisfied with my answer." Toph threw her hands up, stating that she didn't know what to say. "What do you expect me to say? Oh I miss my dear daughter Lin oh I'm so sad... Meh."  
"I don't mean -" Korra tried to say, but Toph put her hand up at Korra's face.  
"Save it, sugar-queen."

"I can feel it." Aang said. "It's round here."  
"Yeah yeah." Sokka mumbled, which incurred the anger of Katara. Sokka was given a good reprimand, but he didn't really care. Then Toph suddenly shouted.

"Ow!"  
"What is it?" Bolin turned around and said.  
"Okay, last time I was in this stinking place, I hit a boat. Now, I hit a freaking building."  
"A building?" Mako came forward and said. Toph was hopping around, holding her hurt foot.  
"I think the temple's down here." Korra walked forward to touch the small jutted out pillar that Toph had hit with her toe. Korra then tried to rise the temple out of the sand, but the temple seemed too large for that.

Toph walked forward. "Step aside, lilylivers."  
Toph stamped her unhurt foot on the ground, and jumped up. Then, she landed on both feet, and her fists punched the sand. Then Toph moved her hands upwards, and slowly the pillar started to rise.

"Hurghhhh..." Toph exclaimed. The pillar had risen fully, and more of the temple's exterior had started to rise.

In the end, the whole temple was above the sand, and Toph compressed the sand below the temple and created a firm foundation of earth to prevent the temple from sinking into the sand. Toph flicked off some sand from her shoulders and smiled.

"Am I the greatest earthbender or what?" Toph smirked, saying smugly.  
"Right." Katara commented, which made Toph slightly displeased.

"Say I'm the greatest earthbender in the world, or I'll sink the entire temple!"  
"Fine fine! You're the _greatest earthbender in the world_. Is that better?"  
"That's the way, sugar-queen!" Toph said, punching Katara's arm. Toph then pointed to a large opening in the temple, stating that that was the only way to enter the temple. Everyone walked through that opening, and discovered that the temple's interior was full of broken rocks, debris and ruins. Aang bent down and picked up one of the rocks.

Aang threw the rock away, and saw Sokka looking at the walls of the temple.  
"Strangely, it seems unchanged from the time we entered here." Sokka commented.  
"Yeah. The rocks here, they seem... new." Aang added. "There was an inner sanctum some where here. That's how I went to the future."  
"You mean that?" Toph pointed to the far end of the temple, where there was another opening. Aang ran over there and nodded, then walked into the room.

"The carpet's gone!"  
"What carpet?" Korra said.  
"I touched a carpet here, and I went to the future."  
"Wow, so now we have time-traveling carpets. That would be a top selling product!" Bolin added, which made Sokka laugh.  
"You're one funny guy, Bolin."  
"My thanks, Sokka."  
"Hahahahah!" Sokka laughed as Bolin said in a aristocratic tone, which was so accented that made Sokka guffaw loudly. Korra then started to speak.

"So, how do I get to the past?"  
"Can you time-bend?" Aang said.  
"No. Lost that power when I activated the Avatar State." Korra shook her head solemnly.

"Wait!" Sokka said, and pointed to another opening in the wall.  
"Have you ventured there before, Aang?" Katara said.  
"No, I haven't. Let's go in then!" Aang hastily went there, but Mako stopped him.  
"We don't know what's in there. Be careful." Mako said, looking at Korra. Korra nodded, and everyone entered the opening. Toph then said she was staying outside to guard the temple, then everyone went away.

Inside the room was basically nothing except for a few candles, and some sconces on the walls which were supposedly used to hold torches. Mako lit the torches and held a small flame-light in his palm, and illuminated the area. Sokka then touched one of the sconces, then pulled it.

"I did nothing!" Sokka said, raising his hands high in protest.

In front of them, the wall started to lower, revealing an even lower basement. A flight of steps was seen, and everyone quickly walked down the place. Bolin then said he will stand guard at the wall with Toph, and the rest went down.

"This place is creepy." Katara commented.  
"Let's hope it gets less creepier later on." Sokka said. Once he said that, a loud roar was heard from the walls.  
"You just have to say something, Sokka." Katara said, and Sokka went closer to Katara for protection.

"Let's just stay cautious and stealthy. There might be things inside here that we might not want to - WOAHH!" Katara screamed as the step infront of her gave way and collapsed. Aang held Katara's hand tightly, and pulled her up beside him. The depths below was dark, and it seemed a very long way down. Katara heaved a sigh of relief, and the team slowly tread across the steps, not wanting to put too much weight on it and cause it to collapse.

They reached another room, and this time, they saw a large planetarium.  
"This looks like the planetarium at Wan Shi Tong's library." Aang said.  
"But look at the dials! They're different!"

黎明 - 早晨 - 中午 - 黄昏 - 夜晚 - 午夜  
(dusk - morning - afternoon - dawn - night - midnight)

"These dials show the time of a day, but the day is unspecified. It could be any day." Sokka said.  
"Each of the words mean something... dawn.." Korra said.  
"Dawn?" Aang said. Then he snapped his fingers. "I know! Turn the dials to show how dawn looks like."

As Sokka pulled the creaky stone lever, which required Mako and him to pull it together, the top started to change in color, and the sun and moon started to change positions. Then, the whole room was dimly lit in orange, and Aang then created an air scooter to ride on. He then slowly started to study the ceiling.

"What are you looking for Aang?"  
"The crack of dawn!" Aang said. "In my dream, the master said to arrive at the crack of dawn, so I figured that it could be a crack in the middle of ceiling." Having said that, he then pointed to a small gap in the wall, which was not shown when they entered. "There it is!" Aang went to the crack, and slowly put his hand through the crack. Suddenly, Aang, as if turned elastic, was suddenly sucked in.

The crack closed.  
"Oh no!" Katara said.  
"We'll have to wait for him to return." Mako said, and all of them sat down, exhausted from the day's journey.

* * *

"I see you have come." The man said, standing in front of the tablet.  
"Hi..." Aang said, emerging from the ceiling. "How did I get here?"  
"The skies and earth have brought you here, young seeker of knowledge." The man walked to Aang, and held his chin. He then looked into Aang's eyes intently. "You eyes show so many: mystery, emotion and ambition. There is much secrets within you."

The man walked away. "But, I am not here to pry your secret. Tell me, what is it that you want from the heavens? The skies? The earth?"  
"I wish to know the words on _that _tablet." Aang said, pointing to the tablet on the wall.  
"Very well. But it isn't that easy to gain knowledge on the forbidden." The man then sat down. "You're not from the counties or tribes aren't you?"  
"Yes. I come from uh... far away." Aang mumbled.  
"Don't mumble, young one! Are you, gifted with the lion-turtle's power?"  
"Yes I am." Aang said. "I have five bending arts."  
"Bending? Well, I see that the word _bending _can be used to describe the gift from the lion-turtle." The man smiled. "Then you will have no problem in passing our Four Deadly Challenges!"

_Gulp_. Aang swallowed his saliva. He got up and followed the man outside, and the man was greeted by a large crowd. There were many people all kneeling down on the sand, their hands up high.

"This is the first challenge. Their hands are placed together like a lilypad. I want you to navigate only on their hands to the end to get the Sacred Air Horn." The man said. "If you don't pass this test, you will face dire consquences."

Aang smiled. This was easy. Aang leapt to the first hand, and at the slight touch of his toes on the person's palm he leapt to another person's hand. Doing the same thing over and over again, he then saw the Air Horn on a high post, bottom tied to the top. He made an air scooter and went up the post, then took the air horn and returned it to the man.

"Very well, here lies your second challenge."

The man pointed to the top of the temple.

"Reach the top of the temple using only one element besides air, then sound the horn. That will signify your status." The man said, his face smug.

Aang climbed up a pillar, and noticed that the temple was shaped as a very smooth pyramid, but the top was a flat surface. Aang then leaped to the wall of the pyramid, and bent the earth of the wall. A part of the wall jutted out, and gave Aang a form of platform to stand on. Aang moved the platform upwards, and he reached the surface with the air horn.

He stood on the top, and blew the air horn with all his might, and heard it echo throughout the canyons, and travel long distances.

The man then shouted from below. "Well done! Now, I want you to remove all the water from within the temple, and store in a hole of the Top."

Aang bent the earth, and found that there was a hole on the top which leads to somewhere. Aang then breathed in and breathed out, feeling the water in the temple's depths, and found that they stored the water in jars and urns. Aang slowly moved the water, and brought all the water out of the temple. The people praying looked at the water floating about in the air. They were marveling at the sight, and Aang slowly pumped water into the hole.

The water flowed down the hole, and a mechanism was heard creaking within the walls. The mechanism stopped creaking, and Aang then went down the temple and asked the man.

"So, these are your Deadly Challenges?" Aang smiled. "Not so... deadly after all."  
"Since you have passed three challenges, you are best made a sacrifice for the skies and the earth." The man.  
"What?!" Aang stepped back. "I thought there's one more challenge to do?"  
"I will sacrifice you!" The man turned to rising crowd "Apprehend our challenger." The crowd yelled and cheered, and they readied their weapons. Some of them were benders, and they fired their elements at Aang.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Aang yelled as one of the fire bolts cindered his robes.  
"But we do." The man said, and there were arrows flying about the place. Aang burnt all those arrows, and created a large air blast to blow away the crowd. The crowd were flung far away, and left him and the man alone.

The man then knelt down.

"We acknowledge your presence, Avatar."  
"But -"  
"That's the last challenge."  
"Well, they weren't a challenge for me - so..." Aang said sheepishly.  
"Enter the temple with me, Avatar. You will know what you seek."

* * *

"Aang!" Katara exclaimed in joy and embraced the small boy emerging from the ceiling. Aang dropped down from a portal and landed on the ground. Everyone came over and gave Aang a hug, and Toph hugged Aang tightly.

"You worried me twice, Twinkletoes. No more okay!" Toph said.  
Aang blushed slightly. "Haha, okay, I promise!"

"So, what happened back there?" Sokka said.  
Aang then sighed. "The only way to defeat Unalaq is to sacrifice one of us. Either me or Korra."


	39. Warning

Aang tossed and turned on his bed as the thunderstorm outside rages on. The evacuation of the entire Fire Nation population to the Earth Kingdom was still underway, and there were still half of the population left. Despite so, it was considered fast, considering that the first half took only three days to be sent away.

Aang couldn't sleep. Still vexing on the Master's solution, he turned to face the ceiling and the memories resurfaced in his mind..

* * *

"I have predicted this already, Avatar. The prophecies tells of when a dark force descends on the world far away in the future, where two forces of light join together to destroy this dark force." The master said, walking with Aang along the walls. There were murals on the walls, and each of the murals were detailed but yet cryptic at the same time. It was difficult to decipher the message if one just looks at it without carefully analysing.

"Does the prophecy tell whether we would win or not?"  
"Prophecies don't work that way, Avatar." The master stopped and pointed to a mural beside him. It shows a woman and a man, shooting a beam of light at a black giant.

"So... how is this going to help me?" Aang looked at the mural in confusion.  
"Follow the murals, Avatar. You'll understand."

Aang walked forward and looked at the murals. The battle was heated, and it was described as a shift of balance in both the Spirit World and the Human World, as when the black giant disappeared, spirits started to enter the Human World which caused imbalance.

Then Aang stopped.

"There's nothing after that."  
"That's because nothing happened." The master said.  
"So, that means there are spirits in the world now?" Aang looked at the mural, shocked.  
"How else would you be able to come here?" The master smiled, and a man walked up to him, presenting a tray with a small pot and two ceramic cups. A fragrant aroma filled the air.

"Tea?" Aang took the cup, and drank it. He felt the warmth soothe his throat, and the taste of cinnamon and the hint of rosemary and vanilla relaxed his body instantly. He put the cup back on the tray, and the master set the tray down on a small table.

"But I didn't defeat Unalaq, and he was certainly not a giant."  
"That's because the Giant in the mural depicts the Avatar State of Vaatu." The master drank some more tea before continuing, but Aang interrupted.

"But how am I supposed to defeat Vaatu? And I remember that I was also in Avatar State when fighting Unalaq!"  
"Avatar, you are experienced, youthful and spirited, but you lack will and strength." The master then pointed to the mural that Aang said had nothing on it.

"Look at that mural."  
"That's why there's nothing, there's only one person which I don't know if it is a man or a woman." Aang scratched his bald head, not knowing what to do.

"That's because the Avatar that _lived_ is not decided _yet_."  
"Lived? What do you -" Aang gulped.  
"Only one Avatar will live after the battle. That is the prophecy."  
"Does that mean that Vaatu... will be defeated? By the Avatars?"  
"No. The prophecy only states that one Avatar will live." The master sighed. "Prophecies are always cryptic."

The master then walked with Aang to the center of the temple chamber and pointed to a large hole in the middle.

"Return to your world, and live out the prophecy. Only time will tell."  
"I need to know more, please Master. Please!" Aang begged.  
"I'm sorry. There is nothing more for you to learn. The knowledge has been bestowed on you, I have explained the forbidden prophecy." The master turned away. "Farewell, young Avatar."

* * *

Aang couldn't understand why only one Avatar would live. He remembered how shock everyone was, and everyone started debating on who lived and who didn't. Though everyone didn't say it, most people hoped that Aang would live.

Aang thought to himself, if Korra lived, then the next Avatar could be born. But if he lived, Tenzin and Kya and Bumi will be born, and everything will happen accordingly. But it's all so confusing too, and Aang yelled out in frustration. He got out of the bed, and went out of his room. He turned around and saw that there was no one around, and he walked along the corridor. Cold wind blew from the skies and Aang shivered awhile.

He made a small palm-light with a small flame, then he continued walking down the corridor. He didn't what he was doing, where he was going, who he was finding... Just a pointless and aimless walk to nowhere, thinking that if he kept walking his problems would sort out by itself. He sighed. The rain was pouring heavily, and he decided to turn back.

Then he heard the noise of something metallic dropping on the wooden floor. His ears pricked, and he started to shout.

"Who's there! Show yourself!" Aang said. His voice echoed about the seemingly empty corridor, and he started running to where he thought the noise was from.

There was a glint, and he saw that it was a metallic object lit by the moon. He walked to the object and picked it up. It was a scimitar, a curved sword so sharp and strong.

"It's Zuko's." Aang then looked up at the ceiling. There was another sword up there, and it was tied to the top. Aang then walked forward.

"Zuko!"

Aang rushed forward and put his hand on Zuko's wrist. There was a weak but steady pulse, but Zuko was unconscious. Aang saw that the place was full broken parts and holes were on the walls. The Fire Nation guards were all on the ground, knocked out cold. Aang decided to investigate.

He carried Zuko to his room, and along the way he noticed that all the guards were either knocked out or dead. Some were hanged on the ceiling, and some were pinned onto the wall and stabbed. Blood splattered about the walls and floor, and the Fire Nation insignia was tainted with the spots of crimson red blood. Aang cringed at the sight of the dead guards, and then walked to Zuko's room.

Aang stepped backwards as a lightning was shot out of his room, and Aang saw a man running out of the room. The man didn't seem shocked when he saw Aang, as his face was only covered by a bandana on his mouth. The man took out a blowpipe and blew into it, and sent a dart flying to Aang. Aang put Zuko on the ground and created a large fire shield to block the dart, and Aang pushed the shield to the man.

"Watch it, Avatar!" Azula said, irritated. The man had already appeared behind Aang, and before the man was able to slit his throat Aang had already felt the man's footsteps by seismic sense. All Aang had to do was subdue the man by earthbending his hands and legs onto the ground.

"Who are you? Did Unalaq send you?!" Aang said furiously.  
The man didn't answer, but merely struggled.

Azula came forward and put her feet on the man's chest. "You've killed all my playmates, and almost killed my little brother Zuzu. Either you say something, or I turn you into stew." Azula smiled, and the man shook his head.

"No no!" The man said.  
"He's not from the Fire Nation." Aang said. "His voice is rugged... Water tribe?"  
Azula pulled down the bandana and Aang looked shocked.

"General Han?" Aang said.  
"Who's that?" Azula asked.  
"Unalaq's second-in-command." Aang then created a small fireball in his palm and pointed the ball at the person's face. "Tell me! Did Unalaq send you!"

"He didn't! I came by myself!"  
"Don't lie." Azula said and stamped the man's chest. Saliva sputtered out of the man's mouth as the impact shocked his body. He coughed and Aang continued.

"What do you mean?"  
"Unalaq, that man! He's crazy! He's gone crazy over killing all of you! I didn't kill those guards, it's not possible for me! I would die! But when Firelord Zuko saw me and attacked me, I don't know why but I can suddenly overpower his swordsmanship, and I knocked him out just by my hilt of the sword. Please, I don't know what happened! I came here to warn you, but -"  
"Warn us? How do you expect me to believe that?" Aang said.

"Believe him, Avatar." Azula said. "There's truth in his words."  
"You can tell?" Aang said, confused.  
"You can see the fear in his eyes when he says Unalaq's name." Azula crouched down and sneered at the man. "Now now, a big general like you, scared of Unalaq? How quaint." Azula stood up.

"I'll throw him into the dungeons later on. Save whoever you can, bury every dead man, and wake Zuzu up." Aang released the earth-shackles, and Azula knocked the man out. Azula then hoisted the man over her shoulder, and started to walk towards the dungeons.

"What happened?"  
"Let's get you to Katara. She'll heal you just fine."  
"Thanks."

* * *

"Alright, tell me your entire journey here, General _Han_." Azula said, slamming the table with her fist. The man gulped. Shackled and tied up onto the wall, he sighed and started to describe his journey.

"I came here all alone, on that brig that you boarded on in Yong Pier."  
"You know, Unalaq was there, right?" Aang said.  
"Oh, how coincidental." The man snickered. "I didn't know he followed me. I got off the brig halfway on a small rowboat and bended the water all the way to shore."

"Then explain why did you come to the Palace." Korra said angrily.  
"I didn't. I don't remember what I did."  
"Please don't tell me Unalaq can possess people from afar?" Sokka said.  
"Perhaps. I saw him in a tent with lots of candles, and the candles were arranged to form the names of the Avatars."  
"That explains the pain you have been having at Yong Pier, Korra." Mako sighed.  
"What about the warning you want to tell us?" Azula said.

"Unalaq, he'll not come. He's going back to Ba -"

The man suddenly shivered and stopped. A seizure was apprehending him, and he started to shout. "Get out of my head!" The veins in his temples started to bulge, and the man's eyes widened in agony and fear. Sweat dripped from his back.

"Han!" Sokka turned to Korra. "Do something!"  
Korra bent some water from the jugs, and placed it on the man's head. Then the man's eyes started to close. Han coughed and blood spewed from his mouth, then he stopped moving.

"He's gone." Korra said.

All while this was happening, Sokka was pondering on what the man was trying to say.

"He's going back to Ba - Ba? Ba where?  
"Ba Sing Se?" Mako said.  
"Oh no."


	40. Ragnarok: Part I

The Fire Nation Courier ran hastily to the Palace Hall, and knelt down on the wooden floor. Zuko was sitting on the throne, and he ordered the courier to deliver his message. The courier took out a small brown scroll from his pocket, and unrolled it. He then slowly read out its contents.

"Ba Sing Se has fallen. Evasive action must be taken to prevent any more unnecessary loss of lives." The courier stood up, signifying the end of his message. He then made his way out of the hall.

"Those people died because of me." Aang said solemnly. "I have to make up to their lives."  
"Right now, we have to find Unalaq." Sokka turned to Desna and Eska for ideas.  
"It's been a month of battle. Perhaps he might go full force at the last battle." Desna pondered.  
"Perhaps. And that might be..."  
"The Fire Nation." Aang said.

Zuko sighed. The flames in front of him dwindled and then vanished. Zuko stepped down off the throne and walked to Aang. "All we could do now is wait for Unalaq to invade us. We can't bring the battle to him now."

Zuko turned away, his eyes glistening and glimmering. "If only my father was here. He could be a big pillar for us to hold on."

* * *

Imagine the pandemonium that erupted during the preparation of defenses. Sokka was assigning the roles to the reinforcement troops from the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom, and Zuko was busy trying to motivate the tired and sunken Fire Nation soldiers and generals. Aang stood atop the Palace Roof, and watched tiny figures in the city quickly trying to move. But there was no time.

Dark clouds had already started to gather in front of the Fire Nation Capital, and a horn was sounded from afar. According to Sokka's horn communication system, one sound means that the invasion had started, and two sounds means that they need reinforcements, three means that their situation is countable towards their loss.

And there were three sounds of the horn.

"Shit. This is bad." Sokka said. "I thought they could last for a few minutes."  
"This means that the moment the invasion starts, Unalaq had already wipe out their defenses. How can we win?" Zuko said.  
"Don't give up yet, Firelord." A general said. "I believe in the Avatars."  
"Let's all believe in the Avatars."

Lightning struck the land as red colored rain started to pour from the dark clouds in the skies. The citizens started to panic, and started to run faster. They ran and ran towards the dock at the rear end of the land, but their legs were not quick enough. Aang flew down the roof, and ran with Korra to the walls.

"Let's stop that monster, once and for all." Both of them said in unison. With determination in their eyes, they sped forward.

* * *

Aang held his staff, and swung it to the right. A large swipe of air was sent towards the man in the large red waterspout. The man was laughing hysterically, and his eyes was wide-open with insanity. Aang kept swinging his staff, and Korra jumped from a wall towards the man.

"Die, Unalaq!" Korra said, her fists burning with flames and her legs propelled by raging fire. Unalaq turned around, and quickly rose up higher to the skies as he drew more red rain from the skies. Korra avoided plunging headfirst into the waterspout, but propelled herself upwards to Unalaq. Unalaq saw her, and moved his hands in a circular fashion.

The waterspout expanded, and Korra was hit by the expanding waves of water. Korra yelped in shock, but tried to escape the enlarging water. Unalaq laughed, and let go of his control of the waterspout. The water was flung in all directions, and was turned to ice spikes the moment they were flung. Korra dodged some of the flying spikes, and created a large fire shield with both her hands to block them.

Aang created a large earth wall, and the spikes were lodged deep into the rock. Aang jumped over the wall and propelled himself towards Unalaq, who was standing firmly on the ground. As Aang's legs were being pushed by the earth, Unalaq had already poised himself ready for defense.

Then Aang started to scream. "Hurghh!" Aang struggled. The rock started to dissipate, and he was slowly brought down on the ground. Unalaq hands were moving quickly, and Aang was subdued by the powerful bloodbending the Unalaq had already perfected.

"You can't win, Avatar." Unalaq said, his voice in unison with Vaatu.  
"No." Aang said, his eyes glowing. Raava had activated the Avatar State within him, and Aang broke free of the bloodbending. Unalaq laughed, and started to flee from Aang's attack.

As Aang sped towards Unalaq, he had created a gigantic air sphere which encased Aang. Unalaq then leapt into the skies, propelled by flames, and Korra was already flying down towards him, her fists with flames. Korra's fist pounded Unalaq's fists, but the explosion was large. The deafening sound of the explosion was heard from afar, and Korra was flung away. Aang was unhindered however, but Unalaq had also fashioned himself with a large red-rain sphere, swirling around him in high speed.

Both of the rivals started to balance themselves in the skies, and Aang raised the walls of the city and flung it to Unalaq. Unalaq blocked them by shattering them with a high-speed blast of fire, and at the last moment one of the walls was whisker-close to the red-rain sphere.

"Not enough, Avatar." Unalaq pushed the wall back to Aang, and in midst of being flung it was shattered into million pieces. The million pieces were shot at Aang at bullet speed.

Aang redirected the earth bullets away from him, and they were lodged deep into the ground.  
"You will be put down." Aang said, his voice in unison with all the past Avatars. As he said that, Korra's eyes also started to glow, and she started to levitate.

Aang opened his mouth, sucking in as much air as he can. He closed his mouth, and the air within his mouth started to expand and be filled with energy.

Unalaq was ready, and had started to gather more rain from the skies. The occasional lightning was also used to hit the running Korra. Aang then opened his mouth again. A gigantic burst of flame burst from his mouth, like a dragon's roar, the flames were sent at high speed towards Unalaq. Unalaq couldn't dodge it, and he used the sphere to blast at the gigantic ball of fire in attempt to stop it.

Korra clapped her hands towards the direction of the ball of flame, and it was augmented. It grew larger and large, and it hit Unalaq.

Smoke and dust were seen, and Korra was blown back on impact. Korra coughed, and moved all the smoke away.

"Was that your best, Raava? Sheesh." Unalaq snickered, and guffawed. "Face my roar, Avatar." Unalaq sucked in as much air as he could, and Aang started to fire bullet-speed earth and ice spikes at him. The projectiles were all redirected towards Korra, who dodged and blocked them with earth and fire.

Unalaq then shouted. "Roar of the Dragons, Phoenix Flame!" A bright and eye-piercing golden flame was sent flying from his mouth, and it formed into a ball. Behind the ball, was a trail like a comet's tail, full of vibrant and dancing flames with different colours: red, blue, yellow, green, white, pink, black and purple. The flames grew bigger, and Aang yelled out in frustration.

"Haaaa-yaaah!" Aang punched his knuckles together and the air sphere he was in expanded. The air made contact with the Phoenix Flame, and the golden ball of flame started to dissipate. The high-speed swirling air quickly made the sphere bigger, but the flame was not to be beaten.

"Not enough!" Unalaq roared, and another Phoenix Flame was sent towards Aang. The air sphere started to slow down.  
"How is it-" Aang yelled. "No!" The flames penetrated the air sphere, but Aang was not hit. Korra had regained her balance, and while struggling, she was controlling the Phoenix Flames from the ground. Aang saw her, and redirected the flames back at Unalaq.

"Using my power against me? How fascinating. It would be impudent for me to dodge it." Unalaq smiled and said slyly, then the flames exploded in the midst of flying. And it exploded within the air sphere of Aang. Aang was sent flying to the walls and Korra was also flung to the other end of the fort.

"Stand up, Avatars." Unalaq said, and bent the blood of the Avatars to make them stand. "Now fight me. Fight me, Raava!" Unalaq roared in fury and the lightning from the skies above started to gather at his sphere of red-water. The water is now full of running electricity, and as it spun the lightning was sent striking at Aang and Korra. Both them blocked the lightning by bending the earth, and created large earth walls to block it. They ran towards each other, and as each wall was made it was also sent towards Unalaq.

Then Aang and Korra reached each other, and they stood firmly together. Both the Avatars made a large and tall rock wall, and flung it at Unalaq.

Unalaq was unfazed, but merely stopped the rock wall from moving and flung back at them with a flick of his hand. He then chased the running Avatars.

"Come to Papa, little ones." Unalaq said, and Korra looked back in fear. Korra stamped her foot on the ground, and shouted.  
"Rock geyser!" Korra bent the rock upwards in bullet-speed, and it sent Unalaq off-course. The large rock pillar had hit Unalaq, but unbeknownst to Korra another rock pillar was also levitated beneath her feet.

Korra screamed as she was sent flying towards the sky, but she propelled herself with flames and flew towards Unalaq, who had hit a wall. Aang had also joined in, and had created a large tornado for him to ride on.

"Unison of Flames!" The Avatars yelled out in a fit of anger, and Korra propelled herself even faster towards Unalaq. Aang also propelled himself downwards with flames burning from the soles of his feet. The high-speed burning Avatars functioned like jet rockets, both of them heading towards their target. Unalaq rubbed his eyes, and at the sight of two rapidly moving fireballs he quickly encased himself in an armor of rock and dirt.

The Avatars, while flying down, yelled and cried out in fury. Pouring all their energy and power into that offensive, their hatred and anger towards Unalaq had also amplified their powers. The flames were augmented, and they became bigger and hotter. The air around the flames were heated up, and as they reached the ground, the rocks were torn up and melted.

Then, it was a collision.

Crash-landing.

A blinding light was seen from afar, and the light had even reached the shores of the Fire Nation. Everywhere around the continent, the soldiers and citizens looked at the light in shock, and prayed that it was a sign that Unalaq had been defeated, outmatched and finally brought down in the name of justice. Zuko and Sokka stopped their duties, and looked at the light.

"Did we... win?" Zuko said.  
Sokka shrugged. "Let's continue, Zuko." Sokka ordered the soldiers to ignore the light, and they continued to rush and escort the citizens away from the Capital.

"The battlefield is full of casualties, Firelord Zuko." A Fire Nation General said, handing Zuko a tied scroll. Zuko unrolled the scroll, and looked at it, reading in shock.

"You mean to say, there's no survivors? No one? Not even..."  
"All the Generals were wiped out, sir. I'm the only one left along with the Deputy here." The General said, his face woebegone. Zuko gripped the scroll and threw it on the ground, then burning it into ashes.

"I will not waste the lives of my soldiers." Zuko turned around. "Move it! Let's go! You're all going to die if you stay here! Move move move!"

Back at the battlefield, near the Fire Nation capital, Aang and Korra were on each side of the fortress, both of them recovering from their battle wounds and fatigue. Aang was the first to stand up, and he trembled as his feet shook. The sight before him grew blurry, and his mind was pretty much still in a daze. He started to sort out the situation.

He looked around the fortress. It was torn down, destroyed, obliterated and then torn down once more. The extent of destruction was such that even the bodies of the soldiers became ashes, and what's left of the once proud fort was the rocks and rubble on the ground. He sighed. He wished the destruction never happened. He took a step forward, and saw that the skies had grown brighter.

Dark clouds started to disappear, and rays of light shone on the land. As if like beams of hope, one of the beams had shone on Aang, and he smiled.

Then there was loud rumble from afar. A thunderstorm raged on in the skies, and suddenly the dark clouds gathered once more. The rays of light turned dark and purple, and Aang jumped aside as the beam slowly turned black. Aang started to run as fast as his legs could carry, trying to find Korra. Beams of more light hit the ground like lightning, and each time leaving a small crater and sending Aang towards another beam.

Aang panted. He cried out in shock as a beam nearly hit his toes, and he went around it and ran. He leapt atop a fallen wall, and saw a figure walking out of the dust cloud before him. "Korra?"

"No way."

Unalaq emerged, and smiled. "How interesting. So this is how the power of Avatars work? I believe you need a mentor on how to actually _tickle _my skin, Aang."

"Don't say my name like you know it, you monster." Aang spat.  
"Oh please, do continue to insult me. For you may no longer have the time to -" Unalaq stepped aside as Aang shot a ball of fire towards him. Unalaq smiled.

"You use bending arts as if they were nothing, just mere extensions of your power. But the origin, is much more STRONGER!" Unalaq slapped his hands together, and the ground Aang stood on sunk in. Aang leapt up and avoided the sinking holes of ground. Unalaq laughed, and then he clenched his fists together. He stamped his right feet in front, and punched the air in front of him with both of his fists.

Aang yelped in shock as a large earth wall was levitated and pushed towards him. Aang sunk into the ground and emerged up later on, then he sent a punch of air towards Unalaq. The air barely blew his hair, and Unalaq smiled.

"Pathetic." Unalaq grinned and roared, letting loose a large fireball from his mouth. The ball hit Aang, and he was sent flying away. Aang landed on the ground hard, and he coughed and spewed blood on the ground.

Unalaq strolled towards the shaking Aang. His fists were encased in flames, and slowly his whole body was burning with fire. As he looked at Aang, the flames started to turn dark. His eyes grew dark, and he activated his Avatar State.

"Notice how I was able to defeat two fully realised Avatars _without _my Avatar State?" Unalaq snickered. "You aren't capable of shouldering such a heavy responsibillity."

Unalaq lifted his fist high, and as he sent his punch towards Aang he said, "You have failed everyone, Avatar!"

"Wait."

Unalaq's fist was clutched tightly by Aang, and Unalaq saw that Aang's eyes was glowing. But it was not the usual Avatar glow. It was purely white, and unlike the Avatar Glow. Aang pushed Unalaq away, and stood up. Then the glow disappeared and Aang slumped onto the ground, exhausted and injured severely. Unalaq laughed.

"For once, I thought I would have a nice and exciting battle! How foolish of me. Time to finish your friend, Korra." Unalaq said, and saw Korra walking towards him.

"You will not get away with this!" Korra yelled and punched flames to him. Unalaq redirected the flames back at Aang's body, but Korra jumped in the way and gathered all the flames together. She then created a large fire shield, and warily walked towards Unalaq.

"Die." Unalaq muttered, and with a flick of his hand, the flames on Korra became black and purple, and it started to envelope Korra with its tendrils. Unalaq licked his lips in delight as the tendrils of the flame burnt Korra.

"Time for you to leave the stage, Korra." Unalaq said. "I'm sure your father will be happy to be reunited with you."

"No!" Korra said, her eyes glistening with tears. Desperate moments and struggling occured. Korra's eyes glowed, and that slowly melted the tendrils, but it was not enough. The tendrils had slowly wrapped around Korra's body, and it was making its way towards her head. Korra cried out.

_Use my power, Korra.  
You are the strongest Avatar. With my power, you will defeat him._

The voice in Korra's head grew louder, and the tendrils slowed down. Unalaq was still smiling.

"New trick? No matter." Unalaq then shot a bolt of lightning at the tendrils of black and purple flames, and they were suddenly pumped with more energy. Korra breathed in deeply, and exhaled out. She calmed down slowly.

_Look deep within you.  
The origin.  
The first methods of bending.  
The purest of feelings...  
Korra, believe in yourself._

Korra saw a spectral form of Avatar Aang floating in front of her, prying out the flaming tentacles off Korra. She then saw more of the past Avatars gathering about, tearing off the tendrils. Korra felt stronger. A rush of energy poured into her, and her wounds slowly closed. The dirt on her face were gone, and Korra's hair was brushed and combed. The blood stopped bleeding, her heart stopped aching, and her eyes were once again filled with the feeling to fight.

Unalaq was astonished, but still determined. As he concentrated, Korra slowly glowed brighter. The tendrils started to dissipate, and Unalaq was sent flying away.

Korra was burning with a white flame, and she was panting.

"So, a new situation has rose. Exciting." Unalaq got up, and laughed. "I admire your tenacity, but with my power, you're useless."

Unalaq's body was encased in black flames, and he started to chant.

"I learnt of a new technique from Vaatu. I taught myself this." Unalaq smiled, and he pointed at Korra with is index and middle finger.

"O' Damned. Lend me thy strength! Pour thy hatred towards thee, as thou shall carry out your bidding!"

The black flames slowly dissipated, and Korra looked at Unalaq with curiosity. Korra decided to not wait out any longer, and punched balls of white flames towards him. The flames vanished as it reached Unalaq's flames.

"Impossible!" Korra said in shock.  
"O' heavens. Lend me thy strength! Pour thy sense o' justice on thee, thou shall carry ot your bidding!"

As he said that, a rune on the ground appeard, the words on it foreign and unknown. It was a kind of scripture, and Unalaq started to laugh.

"This power... How great!" Unalaq said. "But, that's not enough!"  
"Stop! If you continue, you'll die!" Korra said. "That's the scripture of black magic! You'll sacrifice yourself for nothing, Unalaq! We'll fight in another way, don't kill yourself just like this! Vaatu will die too!"  
"Silence, fool!" Unalaq said as more runes started to appear. "Cowardly. Vaatu is an eternal spirit! His knowledge is boundless! Infinite amount of untapped power within him, now within me!"

"It's a shame that you can't tap into Raava's. Or this battle will be _historic_." Unalaq then assumed a kind of a cruxified pose, and the runes slowly wrapped around his body, burning into his skin.

"O'Vaatu. Grant me thy strength... Power to kill, power to destruct, power to obliterate. Power of death." Unalaq looked up to the skies, and saw a large swirling hole above him.

"Yaaaaaaaargggh!" Unalaq yelled out, and a large black beam shot down from the hole and hit him. Unalaq cried out as the beam entered into his body. Like a frog, his skin absorbed the beam like a frog's skin absorbing water from the pond. The flow of power coursed into him, and then he started to scream.

"No! It's too much! I will be destroyed for eternity!" Unalaq shook his head, and tried to reject the beam. But the beam was too powerful to be rejected, and Unalaq's eye was in shock. The scriptures on the ground glowed.

"The power, is yours. In return, I take your life." A voice thundered from the sky, and the beam dissipated. Unalaq screamed out in fury and shock, and Korra created a large shield of earth of to block the rocks that were flung in all directions. A cloud of dust flew over her, and Korra located Aang's body. She then hoisted him over her shoulder, and started to run towards the city.

"Going somewhere?"

The voice was strange. It embodied all emotions, yet there was a sense of neutrality within it. But it was obvious enough, the malicious and evil intent was clear behind that sentence, and it sounded raspy and masculine. The cloud of dust dissipated and Korra looked for the source of the voice.

"Do you need a transport?" There was a snicker, and Korra saw it.

A black figure stood before Korra. It had the body shape of Unalaq, and in a sense it was as if Unalaq was painted black, and the only thing that wasn't was his eyes and mouth. It glowed white, and a black flame was burning on his body.

"U-U-Unalaq?!" Korra said, and she put Aang down. White flames emerged from her skin and she herself also started to burn. "I will end you today! No more delays!"

"Unalaq? You mean that's the name of the body of this man?" Korra gritted her teeth as the figure spoke. Korra didn't even know how to defeat this weird character!

"I embody all the evil beings in this world. The overseer of death... To put it simply, I destroy. That is I. I am the epitome of evil." The figure took a step forward, which made Korra took one backward.

"I am Ragnarök. The name for the end of the world."


End file.
